Stricken liner docks in Gibraltar
A cruise ship stricken by an outbreak of the Norwalk stomach bug has been allowed to dock in Gibraltar.
Spanish authorities have taken the decision to close the country’s border with Gibraltar, in order to prevent any spread of the highly contagious virus to the mainland.
Several hundred Spanish workers have been unable to get to work as a result of the closure. It marks the first time the border between Spain and Gibraltar has been sealed since it was fully reopened in 1985.
Residents of Gibraltar are reported to be furious at what the see as an over-reaction on the part of the Spanish authorities.
Health officials from the colony toured the ship and spoke to onboard doctors and nurses. Passengers demonstrating no symptoms of the illness were allowed to disembark in Gibraltar after 14 days at sea.
There had been only seven new outbreaks of the Norwalk or Noro virus onboard by Sunday afternoon, the Gibraltarian government said.
“As a precaution passengers who have suffered or shown symptoms of the virus at any time after midnight last Thursday will not be allowed to come ashore,” the government said.
Passengers aboard P&O’s flagship Aurora luxury cruise liner were prevented from leaving the ship in Greece because of fears about their health.
Over 500 passengers and 17 crewmembers were affected by the virus, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting for two days.
P&O Cruises stated that the infection was likely to have been brought on board by a passenger at Southampton when it left port on October 20th.
P&O has declined to offer a standard compensation package to the passengers, who have paid up to £5,000 for the trip, saying it will consider cases individually.
The £200 million P&O ship is carrying 1,790 passengers and 841 crew.
