As many as 1,700 passengers are being held aboard a cruise ship in southwest France after dozens of suspected gastroenteritis cases were reported onboard.
The vessel, Ambition, began its journey earlier this month after picking up passengers from the UK cities of Belfast on May 8 and Liverpool on May 9 for a scheduled cruise around France and Spain.
Health authorities in the French department of Gironde said about 50 passengers developed symptoms associated with acute stomach illness during the voyage.
Officials said those affected were immediately attended to by medical personnel and placed in isolation inside their cabins as a precautionary measure.
Reuters, citing French media reports, said one passenger aboard the ship has died.
Regional health authorities also stressed that there is no connection between the illness outbreak onboard Ambition and the recent hantavirus outbreak reported aboard another cruise vessel, Hondius.
Authorities have suspended the planned disembarkation of passengers in Bordeaux pending the outcome of medical examinations.
Samples collected from affected passengers are currently being analysed by the Infectious Diseases Department at Bordeaux University Hospital.
Ambassador Cruise Line, the operator of Ambition, confirmed that several passengers and crew members have shown symptoms consistent with gastrointestinal illness during the ship’s ongoing 14-night voyage.
“We would like to reassure guests that we take any illnesses aboard our fleet extremely seriously,” the cruise line said.
“Enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols were immediately implemented across the ship in line with established public health procedures following the initial reports of illness.”
