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Diamond Princess, 150 passengers and crew sick with gastro on board cruise ship.
The Diamond Princess arrived at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at 7am, with several of those on board believed to be battling norovirus gastroenteritis, which can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
Emdur spoke to his mum Faye who said staff on board the ship reacted well to the outbreak.
“I spoke to her this morning, she said everyting was pretty calm and relaxed actually as people became sick,” he said.
“And mum always being sort of glass half full said it was easier to get into the shows.
“But she said they were constantly disinfecting everything.. and the buffets were all shut down so everything was served to your table.”
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit director Mark Ferson said 158 of the 4000 passengers and several of the crew presented at the ship’s medical clinic during the cruise with the condition.
“There have been no medical disembarkations or patients requiring hospitalisation,” he said.
“The ship has instituted maximum control measures, including increased sanitation and further cleaning and hygiene procedures will occur prior to passengers arriving on board this afternoon.”
The ship is due to depart for New Zealand this afternoon.
A statement from Carnival Australia said: “In the closing few days of the cruise a small proportion of the total number of passengers on board reported gastro intestinal symptoms confirmed as being due to the common stomach bug norovirus.”
“On the final full day of the cruise around 35 passengers were symptomatic.
“Increased sanitation levels on the ship were effective in containing the illness.
“As a further step the ship and terminal are today the subject of enhanced cleaning measures.
“Passengers joining the ship today have been advised of a short delay in embarkation arrangements.”
There have been several incidents of gastro on board cruise ships in the past month.
Passengers on the P&O cruise ship Pacific Eden labelled it a “floating disaster” after about 50 of the 1500 people on board were taken ill with norovirus over the Christmas period.
In mid December, 182 passengers out of the 3566 on board Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship Explorer of the Seas were also struck down by a stomach bug.
Agencies/Canadajournal
