Industry Odisha Bureau, May 14: Close on the heels of the outbreak of deadly ‘Hantavirus’ (rodent-borne) that reportedly killed three passengers on board of a cruise ship named ‘MV Hondius’ on May 2 and infected several passengers, yet another confirmed outbreak of highly contagious ‘Norovirus’ has reportedly killed one passenger on a cruise ship named ‘Ambition’ docked in France’s Bordeaux.
In a statement issued yesterday (May 13) by the prefecture of Gironde in south-western France said, “Apart from the death of a passenger aged 90 on board, no severe cases have been reported at this stage, and asymptomatic people will be allowed to leave the vessel,” adding, “About 1,700 passengers and crew members were initially prevented from disembarking after the death of a passenger aged around 90, while the infected people will remain isolated on board with the quarantine and hygiene measures will continue to be enforced.”
The cruise ship ‘Ambition’ in question has been reported to be operated by a British company named Ambassador Cruise Line, while it reportedly arrived in the dock of France’s Bordeaux on May 12 evening.
Notably, “Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes sudden, severe vomiting and diarrhoea, commonly known as acute gastroenteritis or the ‘stomach bug’. It is notoriously easily transmitted, often causing outbreaks in crowded settings like schools and nursing homes. Despite being called the ‘stomach flu’, it is unrelated to influenza.”
So far the difference between ‘Norovirus’ and ‘Hantavirus’ is concerned: “Both are distinct viral infections with different modes of transmission, symptoms, and severity levels. While ‘Norovirus’ is a common, highly contagious stomach virus, ‘Hantavirus’ is a rare, severe respiratory disease linked to rodents.”
Read More: Hantavirus Outbreak On Cruise Ship MV Hondius Isn’t Start Of Covid Pandemic: WHO
