(VitalNews.org) – A Norwegian cruise ship was denied permission to dock as fears of a potential Cholera outbreak surfaced.
On Sunday, authorities denied the ship permission to dock in Mauritius citing “potential health risks.” The ship was on a 12-day itinerary from Cape Town, South Africa, to Port Louis and it started on February 13th with 2,184 passengers aboard as well as 1,026 crew members.
Samples were taken from 15 passengers, according to The Mauritius Ports Authority, and these passengers were placed in isolation on the ship “due to the state of their health.”
”As the test results will only be known in approximately 48 hours, passengers who were due to board the ‘Norwegian Dawn’ and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks. They will have to be relocated to available hotel establishments,” a statement from the Port Authority said.
The cruise line mentioned that a few passengers on board were experiencing stomach illness symptoms and it was said to be a result of Cholera.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the destinations we visit is our top priority. We operate at the highest public health and sanitation standards, and encourage our guests to practice good hygiene and to report any illness-related symptoms to the onboard medical team immediately,” a spokesperson for the Norwegian Cruise Lines said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Cholera as an “extremely virulent” disease that an individual can get through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Cholera is somewhat rare in the United States and the infection is often mild as well without symptoms, but the CDC says symptoms can be severe and include diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps.
Since January of last year, there have been reports of 188,000 Cholera cases and 3,000 related deaths across eight South African countries.
Copyright 2024, VitalNews.org
