More than 1,700 people have been quarantined on a cruise ship on the Gironde River near Bordeaux after a passenger died from norovirus. According to local health authorities in France, an outbreak of norovirus, which is considered the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis and spreads very quickly in closed environments such as cruise ships, is suspected on board.
Dozens of people have reportedly developed gastrointestinal symptoms, and medical teams and health authorities have isolated the ship and are monitoring the situation to prevent further spread of the virus. Norovirus usually causes vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration, and its spread is favored by close contact between people and contaminated surfaces.
Authorities stress that this incident is not related to the hantavirus outbreak recorded last week on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, where three people died and 11 cases of infection were confirmed. Investigations into the source of the infection on the ship near Bordeaux continue, while passengers have been asked to respect isolation measures until further notice from health authorities.
