Passengers from the UK aboard a cruise ship have been placed under quarantine following the death of an elderly passenger in the midst of a suspected norovirus outbreak.
Over 50 individuals on the vessel, currently stationed in Bordeaux, have reported symptoms of the highly contagious virus.
Health officials have confirmed that over 1,700 passengers and crew on the ship have been restricted after the passing of the 90-year-old passenger. The first signs of symptoms among passengers on the Ambassador Cruise Line ship, known as the Ambition, were noted on May 11, according to Bordeaux authorities.
Approximately 50 people have displayed symptoms of the extremely contagious norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, as per health officials.
The local Gironde prefecture released a statement stating that up to fifty passengers exhibited symptoms consistent with an acute gastrointestinal infection. These passengers were promptly treated by the ship’s medical staff and isolated in their cabins.
A medical team, under the supervision of the maritime medical coordination service and authorized by the maritime prefect, has been dispatched to assess the health condition onboard. Samples are currently being collected by the infectious diseases department at Bordeaux University Hospital.
Authorities have activated health management procedures, clarifying that this virus is distinct from the hantavirus outbreak that led to fatalities on another cruise.
The ship departed from the Shetland Islands on May 6, made stops in Belfast, Liverpool, and Brest in France, before reaching Bordeaux. Its scheduled departure for Spain today remains uncertain.
The duration of the quarantine for those mainly comprising British and Irish passengers stuck in France is currently unknown.
