Norovirus and cruise ship illness onboard the Marco Polo
By: Vultur Adrian
Submitted: 2009-07-28 05:56:47 | Word Count: 830
Nearly 1.5 million holiday-makers book cruises each year and travel to destinations all around the globe. Hoping for the holiday of a lifetime, most of those people arrive home safe and sound. Some, however, do not.
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Norovirus or Norwalk
Norovirus or Norwalk is a gastro-intestinal illness which is highly contagious and affects an extraordinarily-high number of cruise ship passengers. The disease spreads quickly through groups of passengers in a relatively confined space and can have fatal results.
Death on board the Marco Polo Cruise Ship
A 74 year old passenger onboard the Marco Polo Cruise Ship died recently after suffering a heart attack. He was said to be vomiting violently the night before he died and over 150 other passengers were suffering symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
Four passengers had to be removed from the ship and treated for suspected Norovirus in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, after the ship cut-short its cruise, and docked at Invergordon, Scotland. The operators of the ship, Transocean Tours, said the man´s death was unrelated to the Norovirus outbreak, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Lack of information about Norovirus
Passengers have complained about the lack of information they received from the crew onboard the Marco Polo after the outbreak of Norovirus and feel the spread of the illness could have been halted. One passenger commented: “We were told nothing, and only realised the extent of the illness on board ship by talking to other passengers. Obviously we were in close contact with other passengers, which only served to spread the illness more quickly.”
One passenger had been on a previous Marco Polo Cruise which also resulted in passengers contracting Norovirus. She said: “I am astounded at Norovirus breaking out for a second consecutive time on the Marco Polo Cruise Ship. I was convinced that this time the ship would be spotless, and that there would be no chance of a repeat performance. How wrong could I be?”
Transocean Tours refund
Experts in travel law have advised passengers who were ill onboard the Marco Polo to think very carefully before accepting any offer of a refund from the tour operator, Transocean Tours. Passengers could be entitled to a lot more than the £2,000 per person refund which is being offered, plus any money spent onboard the ship. Just days into the Marco Polo´s schedule, passengers could sue the tour operator for loss of enjoyment of the holiday, discomfort, pain and medical expenses. Passengers who suffered norovirus onboard the Marco Polo Cruise Ship are advised to contact a personal injury solicitor who specialises in holiday illness compensation. You could be making a costly mistake by accepting a low offer from the tour operator.
How to avoid norovirus onboard a cruise ship
# Always wash your hands
Many infections can be avoided by washing your hands thoroughly. After using the toilet, or changing a nappy, wash your hands with soap or detergent. Always carry liquid gel in a child´s nappy bag. Norovirus spreads very quickly and will spread even more quickly among people who do not wash their hands regularly.
# Stay away from people with Norovirus
If you suspect a travelling companion or another passenger onboard a cruise ship has norovirus, limit contact with the person immediately and inform a crew member. Norovirus is airborne and will spread quickly in a confined space where there are large groups of people, such as a cruise ship.
# Wash fruit and vegetables to avoid Norovirus
Either don´t eat fruit and vegetables onboard a cruise ship or wash them and peel them yourself before you eat them.
# Disinfect your cabin
If you fear you have Norovirus, seek immediate medical help. To avoid spreading it to other people in your cabin, disinfect all surfaces including the bathroom, cupboards and shelves, door knobs, tables and chairs. Although the symptoms stemming from the Norovirus only lasts between 24 and 72 hours, the person infected can contaminate other areas of the cabin.
# Disinfect linen and clothing for Norovirus
Remove all bed linen and ask a member of crew onboard your cruise ship to wash it, or even wash it yourself if possible. A sufferer of Norovirus may take longer to recover if he is still laying on infected sheets and pillowcases.
# Discard any vomit or stool to prevent Norovirus
Discard immediately any vomit or stool by flushing the toilet and make sure the area surrounding the toilet bowl is disinfected and clean.
# Drink plenty of fluids
For most healthy individuals, drinking plenty of fluids when you have been diagnosed with Norovirus will be enough to help you recover, without hospital treatment. The elderly and very young can suffer more and require hospital treatment. Never take a chance – always seek medical advice if you suspect you may have Norovirus, and prevent the spread of the virus.
Adrain vultur writes articles about travel http://www.roseclaims.co.uk/blog/
