France lets unaffected passengers disembark after norovirus outbreak on cruise ship

Cases onboard

As of Thursday morning, 60 passengers and four crew members were reported ill with gastrointestinal symptoms. Earlier reports had put the number of affected people at 49.

Health authorities in Bordeaux said tests conducted at Bordeaux University Hospital confirmed the outbreak was caused by norovirus, which spreads easily through person-to-person contact or contaminated environments. Officials added that no serious cases had been reported and that all affected passengers were being treated onboard by the ship’s medical team.

“Ambition has now been released by the relevant French health authorities to continue normal operations,” the Essex-based cruise operator said in a statement, reported BBC.

The company added that enhanced sanitation measures, medical monitoring and isolation procedures remained in place across the vessel.

No link to hantavirus

French authorities clarified there was “no reason” to link the outbreak to the recent hantavirus scare involving a separate Dutch cruise ship, which had raised health concerns across Europe in recent weeks.

The cruise ship had set sail from Belfast on May 8 before heading to Liverpool the following day. Ambassador Cruise Line said there was a reported increase in cases after additional guests boarded in Liverpool.

The vessel is expected to remain in Bordeaux overnight before resuming a revised route to avoid rough weather conditions in the Bay of Biscay. The operator said the schedule adjustment would provide safer sailing conditions and give crew members more time to manage recovery efforts onboard.

Ambassador Cruise Line also confirmed that a 92-year-old male passenger died onboard on Sunday. The company said the passenger had not reported symptoms related to the gastrointestinal illness and that the cause of death remains unknown, BBC reported.

The cruise operator, founded in 2021, primarily caters to travellers aged over 50.

What is norovirus?

Norovirus, also known as viral gastroenteritis, is a highly contagious stomach infection that typically causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Most patients recover within two days, according to the UK’s National Health Service.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 23 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships last year, most of them linked to norovirus, including a newer strain of the virus.