Cruise virus update
Transocean Tours has terminated the voyage of the Marco Polo at Invergordon on the advice of health officials.
It has confirmed that 200 passengers aboard the UK cruise now have symptoms of suspected norovirus.
Four elderly passengers were being treated at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness as a precautionary measure, but they have now been discharged.
Arrangements will be made for all passengers who are fit to travel to be disembarked and repatriated at the earliest opportunity.
Passengers who doctors do not recommend should travel at this time will remain onboard for continued nursing and will be repatriated once fully recovered.
The cruise line said the death of a 74-year-old man on board the cruise was unrelated.
“He had serious underlying health conditions. The cause of death has not yet been identified. A post mortem will be carried out,” it said in a statement.
“The management of Transocean Tours, the ship owners, Story Cruise Ltd and the NHS authorities are working closely together ensuring the maintenance of the standard Health Protection Agency protocols that are in place to minimise the effect of the virus and eradicate it,” added a spokesman.
Marco Polo began her cruise in Tilbury on Saturday (July 4) and yesterday called at Invergordon, where the ship’s medical staff invited the local port health officials for a common inspection because of the increased number of cases during the previous night.
“The ship had previously been on a cruise to Iceland,” said the spokesman.
“A very small number of people on board had suffered symptoms of gastro-enteritis during the cruise but this is unrelated to the current outbreak and Port authorities gave the ship a clean bill of health when it docked at Tilbury.â€
There are a total of 769 passengers plus a crew of 340 persons aboard the vessel.
The cruise line said everyone has been updated and kept informed of developments.
Members of the public who are concerned about relatives on board may call Transocean’s UK based general sales agent, Cruise and Maritime Services International Ltd in Dartford, Kent, on 0845 430 0274. Outside office hours, please call 07894 478 969.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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