200 passengers struck down with gastro on Ovation of the Seas as it arrives in Australia
Nearly 200 passengers on one of the world's largest cruise ships are being treated for gastro as the mega-liner docks in Hobart.
Ovation of the Seas, which carries more than 5800 passengers, arrived in Tasmania today after two weeks sailing from Singapore.
Crew members in industrial cleaning suits with face masks were seen spraying down hallways of the luxurious cruise ship in a video posted to Facebook.
“I'm on here now and basically a sitting duck with people in both cabins either side not well with the gastro,” one person commented on the clip.
“They are doing everything perfectly to avoid further sickness.
“I could hear them last night doing this spraying outside my cabin.”
Another guest said that restaurants could not be accessed, finger food had been stopped and a galley tour had been cancelled.
A spokesperson from Royal Caribbean International, which owns the ship, said all guests struck by gastro were given over-the-counter medication by doctors.
“We hope all our guests feel better. Meanwhile, we're taking steps like intensive sanitary procedures to minimise the risk of any further issues.”
The ship is due to leave Hobart later today and arrive in Sydney on Thursday.
The spokesperson said the ship would be “comprehensively sanitised and cleansed” once it arrived in Sydney, resulting in a slight delay for new passengers boarding at the Sydney port.
The Tasmanian Health Service said the outbreak of gastro on cruise ships was “not unusual”.
“It is not unusual for gastroenteritis outbreaks to occur aboard cruise ships, just as it is within the normal population,” a spokesman told the ABC.
“Cruise ships have their own medical teams, medical surveillance systems, outbreak control measures and are well-trained in treating passengers.”
There have been 195 reported cases of gastrointestinal illness in the 14 days the ship has been at sea.