By Danai Nesta Kupemba:
Mauritius has denied a Norwegian cruise ship permission to dock at the capital Port Louis over fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board.
At least 15 people on the Norwegian Dawn have been in isolation over suspected illness.
Mauritian authorities said the decision to block the ship was “taken in order to avoid any health risks”.
Samples were taken for testing Monday, with results expected to be known shortly.
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The passengers developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness during a trip to South Africa, a representative of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.
A Dutch passenger on board told BN DeStem they were told there could be a cholera outbreak on board by the captain.
There have been cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the last few months, with Zambia being hardest hit.
Since January 2023, at least 188,000 people have been infected with cholera across seven countries in southern Africa, according to the United Nations. More than 3,000 people have died.
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“The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost [importance] to the authorities,” the Mauritius Ports Authority said.
The ship arrived in Mauritius on Saturday evening after arriving a day early because it did not stop in Réunion Island.
There are 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members on the ship. About 2,000 planned to disembark in Port Louis, with another 2,000 expected to board at the same time.
Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so today, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said.— BBC
