SuperStar Gemini - gastroenteritis reported current cruise

**Ally** · 05-30-2007, 07:27 AM

The Department of Health is investigating a gastroenteritis outbreak involving 88 passengers and four crew aboard a cruise ship that arrived in Hong Kong today.

The 44 male and 44 female passengers, aged three to 83, and the four crew came down with diarrhoea, vomiting and fever between May 21 and 29. None required hospitalisation. Seventy have recovered while the others are in stable condition after treatment by the ship's doctor.

The ship, carrying 639 passengers and 465 crew, left Singapore on May 20, stopping in Ko Samui and Bangkok in Thailand, as well as Ho Chi Min City and Da Nang in Vietnam.

Port Health Office and Centre for Health Protection staff have inspected the ship and advised control measures. The ship will be thoroughly disinfected before its next cruise. The crew have been advised to observe personal and food hygiene. Laboratory tests on patients' samples are being conducted.

**Ally** · 06-10-2007, 11:54 AM

**Update**

SINGAPORE: The Superstar Gemini has returned to Singapore with all its passengers healthy despite a gastroenteritis outbreak on its outgoing voyage.

92 people were found to have been hit by the highly infectious norovirus when the cruise ship docked in Hong Kong over ten days ago.

They had symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea, but none required hospitalisation.

Before arriving in Hong Kong, the ship had stopped over in Koh Samui and Bangkok in Thailand, as well as Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam.

The ship was thoroughly disinfected before leaving Hong Kong.

A medical team onboard the ship had assessed the passengers to be healthy before their disembarkation.