Over 1,700 passengers stuck on cruise ship after second ‘virus outbreak’ that leaves one dead

More than 1,700 people have reportedly been left confined on board a cruise ship after a suspected norovirus outbreak sparked a major health response.

The Ambassador Cruise Line vessel, Ambition, is currently docked in Bordeaux, France, after a number of passengers began experiencing symptoms consistent with an acute gastrointestinal infection.

The ship had been travelling after leaving the Shetland Islands on 6 May, before making stops in Belfast, Liverpool, and Brest in France.

It was then due to continue on to Spain, though it is currently unclear when those on board will be able to leave Bordeaux, with many of the passengers thought to be British and Irish.

According to health officials, more than 50 people have reported symptoms of the highly contagious bug.

Norovirus can spread quickly in closed environments like cruise ships (Olga Siletskaya/Getty Images)

An elderly 90-year-old passenger has died amid the suspected outbreak, with local officials confirming that health management protocols have since been activated on board.

As reported by The Mirror, the first signs of illness among passengers were reportedly recorded on 11 May.

Norovirus, often referred to as the winter vomiting bug, is a form of gastroenteritis that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

While it is usually over in a few days for many people, it can spread incredibly easily, particularly in closed environments where large numbers of people are sharing the same space, such as cruise ships.

Bordeaux officials have said passengers who became unwell were quickly seen by the ship’s doctor and told to isolate in their cabins.

The local Gironde prefecture said in a statement: “According to information relayed last night by the ship's captain, up to fifty passengers experienced symptoms consistent with an acute gastrointestinal infection. These passengers were immediately attended to by the ship's doctor and isolated in their cabins”.

“A medical team, supervised by the maritime medical coordination service and under the authority of the maritime prefect, was dispatched on board to assess the health situation. Samples are currently being taken by the infectious diseases department of the Bordeaux University Hospital.”

The results of those samples are expected to help establish exactly what has caused the illness on board.

Authorities have also stressed that the situation is not linked to a separate hantavirus outbreak, which reportedly claimed the lives of several passengers on another cruise.

Samples are being tested to confirm the cause of the outbreak (WLADIMIR BULGAR/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images)

For now, the focus remains on managing the outbreak and preventing further spread among those still on the ship.

Norovirus can be picked up through close contact with someone who is infected, touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, or eating food handled by someone with the virus.

Health guidance often advises people with vomiting and diarrhoea to avoid close contact with others until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, as they can still be contagious.

The main advice for anyone affected is to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, as vomiting and diarrhoea can cause people to lose fluids very quickly.

It remains unclear how long passengers and crew will be required to stay on board the Ambition.