Health Canada, the
country's federal health bureau, is investigating whether as many
as 20 passengers on P&O Cruises' Aurora were stricken with the
gastrointestinal illness norovirus when the vessel stopped in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Sept. 22.
P&O Cruises
said in a statement that 11 passengers on the Aurora showed
symptoms of an acute gastroenteritis that was "strongly suspected
to be norovirus."
The 1,800-passenger
Aurora is on a 23-day St. Lawrence & New England cruise that
departed Southampton, England, Sept. 8. The ship visited Quebec
Sept. 24, en route to St. John's, Newfoundland. It is scheduled to
return to England on Oct. 1.
Health Canada was
reported to have boarded the ship for a scheduled inspection while
it was in Halifax. The organization was awaiting test results and
would not confirm whether the passengers had norovirus.
P&O said that
enhanced sanitation protocols had been implemented on the Aurora to
minimize transmission to other passengers. The cruise line said
that passengers with the norovirus symptoms were being asked "to
comply with the doctor's instructions and isolate themselves in
their stateroom until non-contagious. They are also asked not to
proceed ashore, and any shore excursion costs are refunded. Room
service is provided to affected passengers and every effort is made
to make them as comfortable as possible."
To
contact the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Johanna
Jainchill at [email protected].