French regional authorities ordered passengers and crew on a British cruise ship to remain aboard the vessel after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness was reported. The Ambition, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, had reached the port of Bordeaux on Tuesday evening while midway through a 14-night cruise originating from Belfast and Liverpool. According to the regional prefect and health agency, approximately 50 passengers displayed symptoms consistent with acute digestive infection after the ship’s captain notified French authorities.
Regional health officials recommended restricting disembarkation and the vessel’s port interactions. Affected passengers were isolated in their cabins and treated by the ship’s doctor, while a medical team was dispatched to conduct testing. Samples from ill passengers were sent to a Bordeaux hospital for analysis, with results expected later in the day.
French authorities stated there was no connection between the outbreak on the Ambition and a separate hantavirus outbreak aboard another vessel, the MV Hondius, which occurred the previous month and resulted in three deaths across multiple countries. Ambassador Cruise Line reported that cases among passengers and crew increased after boarding occurred in Liverpool on May 9. The company canceled all shore excursions at Bordeaux and offered affected passengers full refunds. Additionally, the operator disclosed that a 92-year-old male passenger died on Sunday, though he had not exhibited symptoms consistent with the gastrointestinal illness, and the cause of death remained pending coroner determination.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked 23 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships in the previous year, primarily caused by norovirus strains. A recent outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess affected more than 140 passengers and 15 crew members during a voyage with over 3,100 people aboard.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI