Authorities in St Maarten have reported that Norwegian Gem Cruise Ship left that Caribbean island prematurely on Friday (March 18) after being told its passengers and crew could not disembark ‘in the interests of public health’.
Port St Maarten said a number of passengers on-board the vessel were ‘infected with an infectious virus’.
Some news agencies have reported that there was a gastroenteritis outbreak on the ship that was on a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean with more than 2,000 passengers.
Port St Maarten, in a media release, said: “The vessel was boarded outside Port St Maarten, and was boarded by a Port Control Team that also included officials from the Ministry of Public Health and the Shipping & Maritime Authority, to gather further information with respect to the on-board virus.”
“While onboard, the Port Control Team were informed of additional cases and, based on this information and after further evaluation, it was decided in the interests of public health that the passengers and crew should not disembark. The causative agent at the time of inspection was unknown, and the Captain was advised to return to home-port for vessel sanitation procedures,” added Port St Maarten.
“The Norwegian Gem which was outside Port St. Maarten left after the decision of the Port Control Team was made.”
Port St Maarten further said the cruise ship industry, from time to time, suffers from the spread of gastrointestinal illnesses.
“The Norovirus is a very contagious virus and the one that is most prominent [aboard ships]. You can get the virus from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.”
“Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships are common, and according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), outbreaks are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land,” Port St Maarten said.