Mauritius has refused to allow a Norwegian cruise ship to enter the port of the capital Port Louis because of fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board, UNN reports citing BBC News.
Details
At least 15 people from the Norwegian Dawn were isolated due to suspected illness.
The Mauritian authorities stated that the decision to block the vessel was "taken to avoid any health risks".
Yesterday, samples were taken for testing, the results of which are expected to be announced tomorrow.
Passengers on a trip to South Africa developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness, a representative of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.
A passenger from the Netherlands on board told the NL Times that the captain informed them that there could be a potential cholera outbreak on board.
The ship arrived in Mauritius on Saturday evening, arriving a day early because it did not stop at Reunion Island.
The ship has 2184 passengers and 1026 crew members. Of these, about 2000 passengers would disembark in Port Louis after the cruise.
According to a representative of the Norwegian cruise company, those who were supposed to disembark or join the cruise will now do so on February 27, the newspaper writes.
Addendum
Over the past few months, there have been outbreaks of cholera in southern Africa, with Zambia being the most affected.
According to the UN, since January 2023, at least 188,000 people have been infected with cholera in seven countries in southern Africa. More than 3,000 people have died.