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Swine flu cruise ship quarantined Swine flu cruise ship Aruba-bound
(about 5 hours later)
Venezuela has quarantined a visiting cruise ship following an outbreak of swine flu on board. Operators of a Spanish cruise ship hit by an outbreak of swine flu say the vessel is heading to Aruba, where passengers should be able to disembark.
More than 1,200 passengers and crew will be kept on board the Spanish-owned Ocean Dream, which has docked at the Venezuelan island of Margarita. The ship, Ocean Dream, had docked at the Venezuelan island of Margarita, where more than 300 Venezuelans were allowed to leave.
They were stopped from disembarking at previous stops in Barbados and Grenada after three crew members were diagnosed with the flu virus. Tour operator Pullmantur denied that the ship had been placed in quarantine by Venezuela, as earlier reported.
Three crew members have been diagnosed with the flu virus.
Eleven more crew members are reported to have symptoms.Eleven more crew members are reported to have symptoms.
"The virus was detected in three crew members and the boat must now stay in quarantine until June 24," said Venezuelan health official Jorge Alchaer. Ocean Dream, on a tour of Caribbean islands, had not been allowed to dock in Grenada and Barbados, and had anchored off Margarita.
Ocean Dream is managed by the Spanish tour operator Pullmantur. Miami-based Royal Caribbean, which owns Pullmantur, said it could not comment on the situation. Pullmantur denied a statement by a local health official that the ship had been placed in quarantine until 24 June.
The passengers' nationalities were not immediately known. Some 342 Venezuelan nationals were allowed to leave on Wednesday as Margarita was their final destination.
Last week the World Health Organisation declared the virus a global pandemic that has spread to 74 countries. There have been some 30,000 cases diagnosed globally and more than 140 deaths. Pullmantur says Ocean Dream is heading for Aruba where it is expected to arrive late on Thursday.
People would disembark "according to the sanitary rules set out by the island's health authorities", the company said.
Some 200 Spaniards are among the passengers on board.
Last week the World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic that has spread to 74 countries. There have been some 30,000 cases diagnosed globally and more than 140 deaths.
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