Ship docks in Qld after gastro outbreak

Around 200 people were struck down with gastro onboard a cruise ship which has docked in Brisbane.

Princess Cruises berths at the Shanghai Port International Terminal.

A number of passengers aboard the Sea Princess suffered gastro as they arrived in Brisbane. (AAP)

A cruise ship has docked in Brisbane after a gastro outbreak affected around 200 passengers.

The outbreak caused delays for new passengers to board the Sea Princess on Thursday morning as comprehensive cleaning took place onboard, according to a Queensland Health spokesperson.

Queensland Health confirmed testing had found the norovirus had been the cause of the illness.

It comes less than six months after a similar outbreak aboard the Sea Princess's sister ship, the Sun Princess, which docked in Brisbane in August after at least 91 people contracted Norovirus.

Despite the recent cases, Princess Cruises defended the safety of their ships.

"There is a 750 times greater chance of experiencing norovirus on shore than while travelling on a cruise ship," a Princess Cruises spokesman said.

Symptoms of Norovirus can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramping as well as low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness.

The Sea Princess had spent 14 days at sea after departing from New Zealand.


1 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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