Esther was stranded for several days on board the ship on which she and her family took a beautiful cruise from Cape Town, South Africa, to the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. Due to fears of a cholera outbreak on board, the ship “Norwegian Dawn” is now parked off the coast of Mauritius, with three thousand people on board. “We don't know anything and it's upsetting,” says Esther from the cruise ship.
After a series of cases of gastrointestinal diseases on board the ship, local authorities refused to allow the ship to dock in the port of the capital, Port Louis, on Sunday. Southern Africa is experiencing one of the worst cholera outbreaks in years.
“The journey has started fantastically,” Esther says Monday morning on the radio show “WAKKER!” In Omrup Brabant. She is the owner of Al Dente Italian restaurant in Breda and is on a cruise with her family. “First we went to South Africa, in Stellenbosch. It was beautiful, we spent a few days there. We had a lovely safaris. We went on the ship to Cape Town and then it started. On Reunion – which is an island to the east of Mauritius – we didn’t get to the beach.” “.
“The shipping company only tells us very briefly.”
Esther did not immediately realize what was happening. “We received very little information,” Esther explains. “We're only now starting to show up. The shipping company is only telling us very briefly. They're doing it, of course, to prevent two thousand guests from panicking.”
Nothing was said in Reunion, except that the authorities did not grant permission to disembark. The ship continued on to Mauritius, but no one was allowed ashore either. Only in the morning did it become clear that it was related to the cholera outbreak in Africa. “Cultures have to be sent and we're not allowed to leave the ship until February 27 anyway. We may have to quarantine for an additional ten days. That's all we know,” Esther says.
It assumes that people with cholera symptoms were isolated. “Because everyone you see walking around here is in excellent health.
“This is a luxury problem and will continue to be.”
“What's happening to us now is annoying, because my restaurant is fully booked next week and I don't know if I'll get home on time. The internet connection has been cut off here, so we're a little deprived of news. But this is a luxury problem and it will still be a problem.” Guests are not asked to Stay in their cabin. We are allowed to walk anywhere on the ship. Restaurants are open, the swimming pool is open.”
“You notice that guests become upset and irritable.”
The majority of the 2,184 passengers will begin their journey home on Sunday. Ministry of Health employees took samples from about fifteen people who were on board the ship on Sunday morning. The results of this study are expected to be released on Tuesday. According to authorities, at least fourteen passengers and one crew member suffered from diarrhea and vomiting.
“We'll just have beer at twelve.”
Fortunately, Esther, her husband, and her daughters have a positive attitude by nature. “We're walking around here with a big smile, but the majority of the guests, well. When the news came that we wouldn't be allowed off the ship for the time being — after nearly five days of aimlessly floating around — people still reacted with: Dismay and anger. This is mainly because we are deprived of information. On Sunday I noticed a kind of resignation, but this Monday I noticed that the guests were becoming annoyed and irritable. Face masks are out again. But we'll only have beer at twelve o'clock. That would be fine! “
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