Norwegian Dawn cholera: Holidaymakers trapped on board as Mauritius blocks cruise ship from docking over outbreak

A cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers and crew has been denied permission to dock at Mauritius due to fears of a cholera outbreak onboard. At least 15 people on the Norwegian Dawn have been in isolation over suspected illness.

Mauritian authorities said the decision to block the ship was "taken in order to avoid any health risks". Samples were taken for testing yesterday (Sunday 25 February) and results are expected to be known tomorrow (Tuesday 27 February). The ship arrived in Mauritius on Saturday evening (24 February) after arriving a day early because it did not stop in Réunion Island, a French island.

A representative of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings told BBC News that the passengers developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness during a trip to South Africa. There is an outbreak of cholera in South Africa but it's not nearly as bad as some of its neighbours, with Zambia being hardest hit.

Mauritius Port Authority confirmed: "The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks. The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities."

Cholera is contracted from a bacterium generally transmitted through contaminated food or water. The illness causes diarrhoea and vomiting and can be especially dangerous for young children. 

In its latest update earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned there were tens of thousands of cases made in 17 different countries in areas across the world. It read: “The persistence of cholera is evident as 2024 begins, with 40 900 cases and 775 deaths reported in January alone from 17 countries across four regions.”

There are 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members on the ship. About 2,000 planned to disembark in Port Louis, with another 2,000 expected to board at the same time. The Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson told BBC News that those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on 27 February.