Gastro outbreak on P&O Cruises ship

P&O Cruises has redoubled sanitation efforts aboard the Ventura ship with at least 150 guests reporting sickness during the past week.

Ventura is on a two-week cruise of the Canary Islands, having departed Southampton on May 11.

Unconfirmed media reports say more than 250 passengers have also reported sick in the past few days.

Although exact numbers haven’t been confirmed a cruise line spokesperson said there were many reports of guests with ‘gastrointestinal symptoms.’

Crew have ‘implemented enhanced sanitisation protocols’ plus ‘extended sanitisation took place in Tenerife.’

Norovirus is suspected as the likely cause.

The stomach bug’s symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.

It spreads through close contact with an infected person and from contaminated food and surfaces.

“These measures are only successful if we all comply with the health and wellbeing protocols that we have in place,” the cruise line said in a letter to guests.

“Washing your hands regularly, particularly before eating and using the bathroom is the single most effective step we can all take.” 

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