Suspected cholera: cruise guests stuck off Mauritius

Following a series of gastrointestinal illnesses on board the ‘Norwegian Dawn’, authorities in Mauritius refused to allow the ship to dock in the port of the capital Port Louis on Sunday, after the French island of La Réunion had previously rejected the ship. Southern Africa is currently experiencing one of the worst cholera outbreaks in years.

The majority of the 2,184 passengers were actually supposed to travel home on Sunday. At the same time, 2,279 new travelers were originally scheduled to board the ship in Port Louis, the port authority said. There are also 1,026 crew members on the ship. Health Ministry officials took samples from about 15 people on board on Sunday morning. The results of the study are expected on Tuesday.

According to information from authorities, at least fourteen passengers and one crew member suffered from diarrhea and vomiting. They are isolated in their rooms.

The American shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line announced that a small number of guests on the ‘Norwegian Dawn’ experienced mild symptoms of stomach upset during the twelve-day voyage from South Africa. “Due to additional testing required by local authorities prior to entry, the Government of Mauritius has postponed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days until February 27, 2024.”

In a letter dated Sunday and available to the German news agency, the captain informed passengers that they would not initially leave the ship in Port Louis. The shipping company offers its guests hotlines to clarify questions about rebooking the onward journey home. The guests stranded in Mauritius should be given free hotel stays. The shipping company also announced that hygiene measures on board have been tightened and that all necessary measures are being taken to protect guests, crew and travel destinations.

According to the shipping company, the ‘Norwegian Dawn’, which was built in 2002 at Germany’s Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony, has space for up to 2,340 guests and 1,032 crew members on board. She left South Africa on February 13 for her journey via Madagascar to Réunion Island and Mauritius. The ‘Norwegian Dawn’ would then return to South Africa with the new passengers.

On Friday, authorities on the French island of La Réunion refused to allow the ship to enter port due to gastrointestinal illnesses. Both the French government and the island’s regional health authority found the health situation on board the ship unsatisfactory.

The authorities suggested sending doctors on board and conducting tests. The shipping company then decided to cancel the stopover, which was only planned for a few hours, and sail directly to Mauritius, the island’s prefecture said. The Port Authority of Mauritius confirmed that the “Norwegian Dawn” reached Mauritius around 6pm on Saturday evening due to the missed stop.

Passengers on the cruise ship reacted differently to the situation. “Everything is normal and we are having fun,” a Mauritian guest told dpa, but criticized the lack of communication on board and from the tour operator.

A couple from Reunion Island who boarded the ship in Cape Town also complained about the communications. “As soon as we left Cape Town they knew there was a problem. The buffet was gone. We were served with gloves. There were rumors of gastroenteritis,” the man told dpa. «We wanted to get off on La Réunion on Saturday. In the morning we were told that the ship would go to Mauritius instead. We were a little worried. Ultimately we thought we would disembark in Mauritius and fly back to Reunion Island. Then we suddenly found out that the health authorities were getting involved. Only very late was the suspicion of a cholera outbreak reported.

A Dutch family also expressed their frustration to Algemeen Dagblad:

Cholera is caused by a bacterium that produces poison in the intestines. It is mainly spread through contaminated drinking water and contaminated food. Many infections have no symptoms, but in severe cases the severe fluid and salt loss can lead to circulatory collapse, muscle cramps and even shock and death within hours.

Southern Africa has been struggling with one of the worst cholera outbreaks in years for months. By mid-January, approximately 200,000 cases of illness and more than 3,000 deaths had been reported in the thirteen affected countries. Mauritius was on high alert when cases occurred in the Comoros. (saw/sda/dpa)