A measles outbreak on a cruise ship off the island of St. Lucia has led to a quarantine of all passengers onboard. According to St. Lucia’s chief medical officer, Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, 300 passengers and crew members on the ship are not being permitted to leave the ship until further notice.
At least one female crew member has been confirmed to have a case of measles. The person diagnosed with the measles, as well as other crew and passengers, are “stable” and remain under surveillance by the ship’s doctor. Medical experts say it is likely that other passengers have been exposed to the virus. The ship’s doctor requested 100 doses of the measles vaccine. Continued surveillance will be necessary, as the incubation period for measles ranges from 10 to 12 days, before symptoms in exposed persons develop.
This report comes at a time when we are experiencing the largest outbreak of measles in a quarter-century. Approximately 700 cases of measles have been reported nationwide. Due to how contagious the disease is and how quickly it can spread on a cruise ship, St. Lucian officials are not taking any chances. To prevent the spread of infection, passengers and crew were not allowed to disembark from the ship. When a contagious illness, such as the measles, is confirmed on a cruise ship, quarantine is a common procedure to contain the illness while treating those who are infected onboard.
Reports indicate that the ship involved is the Freewinds, which is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology. This specific vessel is 440-feet in length and is used by the church as religious retreat. Due to the ship’s size, it can carry several hundred passengers at a time. The Freewinds is based in Curacao, just off of the Venezuelan coast. At one point, the ship was used to carry out humanitarian missions but is now being used for as a spiritual retreat center at sea. Many different religions carry strong positions against vaccinations, although the Church of Scientology officially takes no stance on vaccinations.
Someone who is infected with the measles virus can easily spread it to others who are not vaccinated. Given the fact that cruise ships are enclosed quarters, the spread of a disease can be even quicker. St. Lucian authorities have confirmed that they are working closely with members of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on the matter.
Getting sick on a cruise ship can be any passenger’s worst nightmare and understandably so. Many times, cruise safety tips can help prevent the spread of disease, but sometimes, the spread of illness is unavoidable. According to officials the ship has been under quarantine since Monday morning. Other outbreaks of illness on cruise ships have included the norovirus, while this is one of the first measles outbreaks reported.
INJURED ON A CRUISE SHIP OR CRUISE SHIP EXCURSION? SPEAK TO A CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT LAWYER TODAY: 1-866-597-4529.
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