Fears of a cholera outbreak on board a Norwegian cruise ship in the Indian Ocean | outside

Port authorities said that most of the 2,184 passengers were supposed to begin their return journey on Sunday, and at the same time 2,279 new passengers had to board in Port Louis. There are also 1,026 crew members on board.

The Ministry of Health took samples from about fifteen people. The result is expected on Tuesday. Authorities said at least 14 passengers and one crew member suffered from diarrhea and vomiting. They are isolated in their rooms.

US shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line has heard that a small number of guests on the twelve-day voyage from South Africa showed mild symptoms of a stomach illness. “As a result of additional testing imposed by the authorities, the Government of Mauritius has postponed the disembarkation of the current cruise and the embarkation of the next cruise by two days, until 27 February.”

The flight departed South Africa on 13 February and sailed to Mauritius via Madagascar and Réunion. The Norwegian Dawn then had to return to South Africa with new passengers.

On Friday, La Réunion rejected the ship due to gastrointestinal complaints among some passengers. The governorate said that the authorities there proposed sending medicines on board the ship and conducting tests, but the shipping company decided to skip the several-hour stop on the island and sail directly to Mauritius.

Thirteen affected countries in southern Africa have reported 200,000 cholera cases and more than 3,000 deaths as of mid-January. Because a small number of cases have been identified in the Comoros, Mauritius is on high alert.