Mauritius Denies Port Entry To Norwegian Cruise Ship Over Health Risk

Mauritius stopped a vessel that belonged to the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings from docking at the ports owing to what it said is a health risk and collected samples from nearly 15 guests who had been in isolation on the vessel, its port authority mentioned on Sunday.

The Norwegian Dawn was all set to dock at Port Louis on Sunday. As it hadn’t gone to Reunion Island, it reached Port Louis a day prior, the Mauritius Ports Authority mentioned in a statement. The authority stated that the decision not to permit the cruise vessel access to the quay had been taken to avoid any health risks.

The good health and safety of guests and that of the nation are priorities to the authorities, it stated, without sharing any details of the type of health risks. A spokesperson associated with the U.S.-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line said that while on the vessel’s trip to South Africa on 13 February 2024, some guests experienced symptoms of stomach-related illnesses.

Once at Port Louis, the vessel’s management collaborated with the Mauritian authorities to ensure that stringent precautions were in place and every individual on board was exemplary, the spokesperson said. The port authority added that its test reports would arrive in 48 hours.

The officials at the Mauritius Health Ministry weren’t reachable immediately for comment. The vessel has 2,184 guests and 1,026 crew members. The port authority stated that nearly 2,000 guests would have disembarked at Port Louis on completing the cruise, while 2,279 new guests were likely to board the vessel.

It said that guests due to board the Norwegian Dawn ship and embark on the cruise from Mauritius wouldn’t be able to do so owing to possible health risks. The spokesperson associated with the Norwegian Cruise Line informed those who were joining/disembarking will do the same on 27 February. Tourism is among the key drivers of Mauritius’s economy.

A Dutch passenger on the vessel told BN DeStem that they had been notified by the captain that there might be a cholera outbreak. There have been recorded incidents of cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the past few months, and Zambia was the most brutal hit.

Reference: BBC

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