More than 1,700 people are being held on a UK-operated cruise ship in Bordeaux, France, after an outbreak of gastroenteritis. Essex-based Ambassador Cruise Line said French authorities had ordered all 1,187 passengers and 514 crew members to remain on board while samples from the ship Ambition are tested at a local hospital.
The company said 48 passengers and one crew member currently have active cases of gastrointestinal illness. The ship set sail from Belfast on Friday and called at Liverpool on Saturday, embarking on a 14-night voyage to France and Spain, with cases rising after the Liverpool stop.
A person on board who died did not show any gastroenteritis symptoms, according to the cruise line, and the cause of death has yet to be established.
Ambassador Cruise Line said in a statement that enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols had been implemented, including increased cleaning and disinfection in public areas, assisted service in selected dining venues, and ongoing guidance on hand hygiene.
A spokesman for the cruise line said there was no link with the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius. The UK Health Security Agency said it was aware of the outbreak and was liaising with French authorities regarding British passengers on board.
