The French authorities decreed on Wednesday the temporary confinement of the 1,700 passengers and crew members of the Ambition cruise ship, following the death of one person and at least fifty diagnosed cases possibly related to gastroenteritis. The ship from Ambassador Cruise Line docked in Bordeaux and was scheduled to depart for Spain. It came from the Shetland Islands (North Atlantic) and made stops in Belfast (Northern Ireland), Liverpool (United Kingdom), and Brest (northwest France).
Initial onboard analyses initially ruled out the presence of norovirus, the viral cause of gastroenteritis, but further tests at a hospital in Bordeaux point in that direction or towards food poisoning. French authorities have ruled out any connection with the hantavirus.
The first symptoms among passengers (vomiting and diarrhea) were detected on Monday, May 11, when the cruise ship was anchored in Brest. A ninety-year-old woman died before reaching the Breton port, alerting health authorities.
Upon arrival at the port of Bordeaux, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine prefecture suspended passenger disembarkation and ordered "to limit interactions" citing the risk of gastrointestinal disease transmission and pending the results of analyses conducted at the university hospital.
Authorities called for "a review of health standards on board the ship" and reinforced safety protocols. It is estimated that at least fifty affected individuals are on board the cruise ship, although initially none have required hospital assistance.
"There is no reason to link this outbreak on a cruise ship from Belfast and Liverpool with the cases of hantavirus detected on the MV Hondius," emphasized health authorities.