A Norwegian cruise ship has been denied permission to dock in Mauritius over fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board.
Local authorities on Sunday denied permission for the Norwegian Dawn vessel, which has 2184 passengers and 1026 crew on board, to access the Mauritius capital of Port Louis, citing “potential health risks”.
The cruise ship was on a 12-day itinerary from Cape Town in South Africa to Port Louis, starting on February 13.
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Samples were taken from at least 15 passengers on board, the Mauritius Ports Authority said Sunday.
These passengers had been placed in isolation on board the vessel “due to the state of their health”, the port authority said, according to a Google translation.
“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,” the port authority said.
“They will have to be relocated to available hotel establishments.”
A spokesperson for the US-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said Sunday that “a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness” during Norwegian Dawn’s South Africa voyage.
On returning to Port Louis, the spokesperson said the vessel’s management team met with local authorities to confirm that precautionary measures were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of those on board.
Multiple media outlets reported the stomach illness on board the ship was suspected to be cholera.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our top priority,” the spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.
“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.
“Additionally, we have elevated our sanitation procedures aboard the ship as part of our routine measures to ensure a safe environment for all on board and will continue to take any necessary measures to protect our guests, crew and destinations we visit.”
What is cholera?
The World Health Organisation says cholera is an “extremely virulent” disease transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.
Cholera symptoms can include diarrhoea, vomiting and leg cramps.
Since January last year, the UN says that roughly 188,000 cholera cases have been reported across eight southern African countries, including 3000 related deaths.