Passengers aboard a norovirus-stricken cruise ship have been permitted to disembark following a French-imposed lockdown that lasted over 24 hours. The vessel, Ambition, operated by Essex-based Ambassador Cruise Line, docked in Bordeaux on Tuesday with 1,701 people on board, primarily from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Lockdown and Health Measures
Local authorities in Bordeaux initially prevented all passengers and crew from leaving the ship after reports of a highly contagious vomiting virus. The lockdown was lifted on Wednesday afternoon for asymptomatic individuals, while those infected were ordered to remain in isolation on the ship. Norovirus, a form of gastroenteritis causing vomiting and diarrhoea, had affected dozens of people.
Casualty and Outbreak Details
A 92-year-old British man died of a heart attack during the incident, but health authorities confirmed his death was unrelated to the norovirus outbreak. Ambassador Cruise Line reported on Wednesday that 48 passengers and one crew member had active cases of gastrointestinal illness. Samples from the ill were tested at a local hospital in Bordeaux.
One passenger, Seos Guilidhe, 52, from Belfast, told AFP he was playing bingo during the lockdown and remarked, "It is not as bad as it was during Covid." He added that people were going about their routines as normal.
Voyage and Response
The ship departed from Belfast on May 8 and stopped in Liverpool a day later for a 14-night voyage to France and Spain. Cases of gastroenteritis increased after passengers boarded in Liverpool. Ambassador Cruise Line stated, "We take any illnesses aboard our fleet extremely seriously. Enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols were immediately implemented across the ship." Measures included increased cleaning, assisted dining, and guidance on hand hygiene.
A spokesman clarified there was no connection between this outbreak and the hantavirus incident on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
