Gastro outbreak on cruise docked in Melbourne
Passengers on a cruise ship docked in Melbourne have been hit with an aggressive outbreak of gastro.
Celebrity Solstice, which carries nearly 3000 passengers has reportedly had an aggressive outbreak of norovirus.
The virus causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and spreads through direct person-to-person contact, indirectly through ingestion of contaminated water or food.
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In a statement, Celebrity Cruises, which operates the Solstice cruise ship, said there have been "18 reported cases of gastro-intestinal illness symptoms, which represents 0.6 per cent of the 2,759 guests onboard, plus 1,256 crew".
"Those affected by the short-lived illness are being treated by the ship’s doctors and responding well to over-the-counter medication," the statement reads.
Celebrity Cruises said the Celebrity Solstice will depart Melbourne as scheduled at 5pm on Wednesday.
One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald Sun the virus has been on the ship since October 18.
“The ship did the best they could under the circumstances to try to contain it,” the Melbourne woman said.
She said her husband and herself were struck down with the virus after an 18 day cruise from Hawaii. They got off the ship on October 20 when it docked in Sydney.
Celebrity Solstice is currently sailing a 12-night New Zealand cruise, which departed Sydney on October 30.
The ship is Australia and New Zealand’s highest-rated cruise ship, according to Celebrity Cruise's website.
