Cruise ship cholera scare: Relief for passengers on board
The ship had been forced to delay its entry into the Mauritius capital Port Louis after at least 15 passengers reportedly fell ill during the voyage.
A cruise ship called the Norwegian Dawn, which recently docked in Cape Town before departing for Mauritius – making several stops along the way – was rece ntlyforced to anchor off the coast of Mauritius.
The ship had been forced to delay its entry into the Mauritius capital Port Louis after at least 15 passengers reportedly fell ill during the voyage, with authorities fearing it could be cholera.
Mauritian authorities had initially blocked the cruise ship “to avoid any health risks” as tests were conducted, but the good news is that it has now been confirmed the passengers had gastroenteritis, not cholera.
CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS RELIEVED BY THE WELCOME NEWS THAT CHOLERA WAS NOT FOUND ON BOARD
There are 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members on the ship, with about 2,000 reportedly planning to disembark in Port Louis, with around the same number expected to board at the same time.
However, these plans were thrown into disarray after passengers developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness, which also prevented the ship from docking at Réunion Island.
A Cape Town resident, who was on board the ship, spoke to TheSouthAfrican.com on the condition of anonymity.
“We arrived near Mauritius on Sunday evening, and initially weren’t certain why we hadn’t made the scheduled stop in Reunion. Eventually the news spread that we were unable to disembark due to concerns of an outbreak on board.
“It was frustrating as we had booked to continue our stay in Mauritius from Monday onwards, and we’ve lost two days at the resort, but thankfully most passengers have been healthy and well looked after.”
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PASSENGERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO SCREENING BY HEALTH AUTHORITIES UPON DISEMBARKING
“The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost importance to the authorities,” the Mauritius Ports Authority said.
South Africa has reported 1,076 cholera cases and at least 47 deaths over the past two years, according to Africa Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention.