According to CCTV News citing French sources on the 13th, a cruise ship owned by a British company arrived at the southwestern French city of Bordeaux on the evening of the 12th, with a suspected outbreak of gastrointestinal disease on board. Currently, approximately 1,700 passengers and crew members are restricted from disembarking.
A passenger on the cruise ship, aged about 90, is suspected to have died en route due to a “gastroenteritis-like illness,” and another 50 people have shown symptoms of digestive tract infection.
The Gironde department, to which Bordeaux belongs, confirmed this news in a communiqué issued on the 13th. The communiqué stated that the cruise ship is named “Ambition,” and the passengers on board have been immediately treated by the ship’s doctor and isolated in their respective cabins. A medical team has been dispatched to the ship to assess the sanitary conditions. The Infectious Diseases Department of Bordeaux University Hospital is conducting sample testing.
The communiqué stated that Bordeaux University Hospital analyzed the relevant epidemiological investigation situation and biological sample test results, confirming the pathogen as norovirus.
The communiqué stated that there is currently no reason to link this outbreak with the hantavirus outbreak found on the cruise ship “Hondius.”
The communiqué stated that no other severe cases have been reported so far, and the disembarkation ban will no longer be enforced for asymptomatic individuals. At the same time, isolation measures for sick individuals will continue, and further protective measures and hygiene regulations will be strengthened on board, including enhanced cleaning. The cruise company will decide whether to continue the originally scheduled voyage based on the medical assessment on board.
It is reported that “Ambition” belongs to the British Ambassador Cruise Line and departed from the UK on May 6. According to the original plan, the ship was supposed to continue from Bordeaux to Spain.
Norovirus is a common pathogen causing acute gastroenteritis. Infection typically results in symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. The virus is highly contagious and can be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated surfaces, or ingestion of contaminated food or water. Therefore, cluster infections are more likely to occur in densely populated or relatively enclosed settings such as cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes.
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