MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar allows norovirus infected cruise visitors to land

Passengers on board the cruise ship MV Ventura were allowed to visit Gibraltar despite a handful of the passengers being ordered to remain on board because of a recent virus outbreak, according to the Gibraltar Chronicle.

ollowing information received by the Gibraltar's Government Director of Public Health, Dr Vijay Kumar, on Monday evening, that the MV Ventura, due to arrive in Port Tuesday morning had 24 cases of acute gastroenteritis on board, presumably due to norovirus infection, contact was established immediately with the ship. The GHA say that it emerged that the outbreak had been first identified on May 30 but after reaching a peak of 18 cases was tailing off with only three cases currently on board. Satisfied that the outbreak management procedures on the ship were robust and that proper measures had been taken to prevent further infection, Gibraltar health authorities allowed the visit, according to an official statement. On arrival the ship was instructed to retain on board a small number of persons who could still be potentially infective and was given permission to allow the rest of the passengers to disembark. Norovirus gastroenteritis is a common infectious disease that causes diarrhea, cramps and vomiting. It often causes outbreaks by spreading rapidly from person to person in confined locations. It is however mostly self-limiting, lasting for less than 3 days and leaving no further damage. "Here should be no risk to the public health of Gibraltar from this incident," said Dr Kumar.