A British cruise ship, Ambition, is battling a gastrointestinal illness outbreak in Bordeaux, France, with over 1,700 passengers and crew confined onboard. French authorities have suspended disembarkation while affected travelers receive medical care at sea. Officials say it is not related to a separate hantavirus scare on another vessel, and investigations are underway to identify the cause.
Cruise ships are facing back to back outbreaks, triggering international concern. After the hantavirus tragedy aboard MV Hondius, another vessel reported a major norovirus outbreak, leaving more than 100 passengers ill with the highly contagious stomach infection. Experts say the key differences from COVID-19 lie in symptoms, transmission routes, and risk profiles, including how deadly hantavirus can be.
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