The P&, O Iona sail ship has been hit by a suspected Norovirus outbreak, which has caused serious stomach problems for passengers and crew while they are sailing near Belgium.
Some travelers described the situation as disorganized, with persons suddenly becoming ill and vomiting in public spaces.
According to Sky News, a customer said,” Persons were throwing up in restaurants, on deck, outside cottages”, highlighting the popular nature of the illness.
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The P&, O Iona, which set sail from Southampton on 15th February for a seven-day North German journey, has over 5, 000 people and 1, 800 team members on board, though the actual amount of those affected remains vague.
On February 20, the ship’s captain made a public announcement, confirming that crew members were working to contain the outbreak. P&, O Cruises admitted that” some guests have unfortunately reported gastrointestinal symptoms”, but assured that fewer than 1 % of passengers were affected, according to Sky News.
Despite this, some quarantined guests have complained about difficulties in receiving food, fresh towels, and clean bed linen, allegedly due to staff shortages. A passenger reported to Sky News,” Even the entertainment has been negatively impacted, with many of the scheduled acts being canceled and being replaced with a cobbled-together entertainment program to placate the guests.”
Passengers have also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of prescription drugs on board. According to The Mirror,” No store or medical center onboard could provide guests with gastrointestinal suspension medication or replacement salts or fluids.”
P&, O Cruises responds
P&O Cruises has assured the ill-injured passengers that all refunds will be made for any missed shore trips. Additionally, the business refuted claims that there were medication shortages, saying that” an emergency support number is available 24 hours a day” and “medicine is readily available through our onboard medical center.”
The cruise line further emphasised its adherence to health protocols, explaining,” Gastrointestinal-related illnesses are very common in the UK and are predominantly spread by person-to-person transmission in environments such as hotels, schools, and restaurants. Working with international, national, and regional public health organizations, P&, O Cruises collaborates with them on tested protocols across our ships to safeguard the health and well-being of everyone on board.
Given the close-up and shared dining areas, norovirus outbreaks are not uncommon on cruise ships.
Due to vomiting and diarrhea, many passengers and crew members have been locked in their rooms, according to Euro Weekly News, preventing what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation.
Despite P&, O Cruises ‘ reassurances, many passengers remain critical of how the situation has been handled. Travelers are hoping for better management of onboard health crises in the future because the cruise is scheduled to return to Southampton soon.
