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| Bug probe liner to stay in firth | Bug probe liner to stay in firth |
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| Four people are being treated in hospital after an outbreak of suspected norovirus on board a cruise liner. | Four people are being treated in hospital after an outbreak of suspected norovirus on board a cruise liner. |
| The Marco Polo will remain tied up at Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth until Wednesday while GPs continue to assess passengers and crew. | The Marco Polo will remain tied up at Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth until Wednesday while GPs continue to assess passengers and crew. |
| NHS Highland said 340 passengers and 40 crew had been assessed by doctors. | |
| A 74-year-old man died of an apparent heart attack. The tour operator said his death was not related to the virus, but that has not been confirmed. | A 74-year-old man died of an apparent heart attack. The tour operator said his death was not related to the virus, but that has not been confirmed. |
| Four people were initially taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for treatment. | Four people were initially taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for treatment. |
| One was allowed to return to the vessel, but another passenger was subsequently admitted to hospital. | One was allowed to return to the vessel, but another passenger was subsequently admitted to hospital. |
| An air ambulance has also flown a male passenger from the pier to Raigmore after developing a medical condition unrelated to the virus, NHS Highland said. | |
| A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the man who died, who is thought to have been from Norfolk. | A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the man who died, who is thought to have been from Norfolk. |
| It was kept very quiet. I think they should have notified us Rita JonesPrevious passenger Mutiny to passenger ship bounty Comments on virus investigation | It was kept very quiet. I think they should have notified us Rita JonesPrevious passenger Mutiny to passenger ship bounty Comments on virus investigation |
| In a statement, cruise operators Transocean Tours said his death was unrelated to the virus outbreak, and that the ship had been inspected by local health officials. | In a statement, cruise operators Transocean Tours said his death was unrelated to the virus outbreak, and that the ship had been inspected by local health officials. |
| Helen Winchcombe, a passenger on the ship, said the situation for those who had not taken ill was bearable and the crew were trying to keep passengers as well informed of developments as they could. | Helen Winchcombe, a passenger on the ship, said the situation for those who had not taken ill was bearable and the crew were trying to keep passengers as well informed of developments as they could. |
| She said: "Generally speaking on board everything is calm. The crew is doing their utmost to please everybody." | She said: "Generally speaking on board everything is calm. The crew is doing their utmost to please everybody." |
| NHS Highland said about 200 people were suffering from sickness and abdominal cramps - symptoms of the virus, which is also known as the winter vomiting bug and affects up to one million people in the UK every year. | NHS Highland said about 200 people were suffering from sickness and abdominal cramps - symptoms of the virus, which is also known as the winter vomiting bug and affects up to one million people in the UK every year. |
| Local GPs and community nurses have boarded the Marco Polo to assist the ship's doctor. | Local GPs and community nurses have boarded the Marco Polo to assist the ship's doctor. |
| It has emerged that passengers on the previous voyage of the Marco Polo who disembarked on Saturday were also struck with a sickness bug. | It has emerged that passengers on the previous voyage of the Marco Polo who disembarked on Saturday were also struck with a sickness bug. |
| Transocean Tours said this was gastroenteritis and affected a small number of people. The company said the ship was given a clean bill of health. | Transocean Tours said this was gastroenteritis and affected a small number of people. The company said the ship was given a clean bill of health. |
| Hand gel | Hand gel |
| Rita Jones, from Walsall in the West Midlands, and her husband David took a cruise from Tilbury in London on 22 June. | Rita Jones, from Walsall in the West Midlands, and her husband David took a cruise from Tilbury in London on 22 June. |
| Half way through the cruise people began to get sickness and diarrhoea, Mrs Jones said, with five out of the eight people on her table becoming unwell. | Half way through the cruise people began to get sickness and diarrhoea, Mrs Jones said, with five out of the eight people on her table becoming unwell. |
| Mrs Jones and her husband got the bug just after the cruise. She told the BBC the illness was "absolutely horrendous". | Mrs Jones and her husband got the bug just after the cruise. She told the BBC the illness was "absolutely horrendous". |
| The cruise liner is berthed at Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth | The cruise liner is berthed at Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth |
| She said: "Half way through the cruise it docked at a port and I noticed an ambulance. | She said: "Half way through the cruise it docked at a port and I noticed an ambulance. |
| "Someone said a passenger had this sickness virus. From then on, people seemed to be getting ill." | "Someone said a passenger had this sickness virus. From then on, people seemed to be getting ill." |
| She added: "It was kept very quiet. I think they should have notified us. | She added: "It was kept very quiet. I think they should have notified us. |
| "It has been horrendous, absolutely horrendous. We have never had anything like that before." | "It has been horrendous, absolutely horrendous. We have never had anything like that before." |
| Mrs Jones said she was "gobsmacked" on realising that more people had become sick on the ship in a subsequent voyage. | Mrs Jones said she was "gobsmacked" on realising that more people had become sick on the ship in a subsequent voyage. |
| She added: "I would have thought that if they were aware of problems maybe they should have delayed the sailing and given the ship a good clean or something." | She added: "I would have thought that if they were aware of problems maybe they should have delayed the sailing and given the ship a good clean or something." |
| Another passenger, from London, who was also on the earlier trip said that despite obvious signs of a bug on the ship, there was little evidence of prevention measures. | Another passenger, from London, who was also on the earlier trip said that despite obvious signs of a bug on the ship, there was little evidence of prevention measures. |
| She said: "Nothing was said to us about taking care to wash our hands etc. It was only in the last few days that someone was standing outside the restaurants and giving us the gel to use on our hands. | She said: "Nothing was said to us about taking care to wash our hands etc. It was only in the last few days that someone was standing outside the restaurants and giving us the gel to use on our hands. |
| "Though the staff, for the last few days, were wearing disposable gloves and serving us with cold drinks we were still able to help ourselves to all the food in the cafeteria-type restaurant." | "Though the staff, for the last few days, were wearing disposable gloves and serving us with cold drinks we were still able to help ourselves to all the food in the cafeteria-type restaurant." |
| A woman claiming to be a passenger has sent tweets, or messages, from the ship to the internet messaging service Twitter about the situation on board. | A woman claiming to be a passenger has sent tweets, or messages, from the ship to the internet messaging service Twitter about the situation on board. |
| She said police had been spotted on board and wrote: "Still imprisoned on boat. They are not telling us anything on the tannoy." | She said police had been spotted on board and wrote: "Still imprisoned on boat. They are not telling us anything on the tannoy." |
| Outbreak plan | Outbreak plan |
| The Marco Polo is touring the UK and Ireland. It was carrying 769 passengers and 340 crew. | The Marco Polo is touring the UK and Ireland. It was carrying 769 passengers and 340 crew. |
| It had sailed from Tilbury on Saturday but has now been detained at Invergordon harbour. | It had sailed from Tilbury on Saturday but has now been detained at Invergordon harbour. |
| Invergordon councillor Maxine Smith criticised the way the situation had been handled, claiming that potentially infected passengers were allowed to wander through the town after the ship docked there. | Invergordon councillor Maxine Smith criticised the way the situation had been handled, claiming that potentially infected passengers were allowed to wander through the town after the ship docked there. |
| She said there were reports of some passengers vomiting in the streets. | She said there were reports of some passengers vomiting in the streets. |
| Earlier, Transocean Tours said the ship had not been placed under quarantine and that passengers unaffected by the virus were only allowed ashore after local health authorities had given their approval. | Earlier, Transocean Tours said the ship had not been placed under quarantine and that passengers unaffected by the virus were only allowed ashore after local health authorities had given their approval. |
| Dr Ken Oates said the man who died had many underlying health problems | Dr Ken Oates said the man who died had many underlying health problems |
| The company said the ship had remained in Invergordon to allow additional manpower to join the ship to assist with the situation, adding that the decision had been made by the ship's owners, Story Cruise Ltd. | The company said the ship had remained in Invergordon to allow additional manpower to join the ship to assist with the situation, adding that the decision had been made by the ship's owners, Story Cruise Ltd. |
| A Transocean Tours spokesman said the company's environmental and health officers had been working closely with the local authorities and that a full outbreak control plan in line with UK public health requirements was in place and being followed closely. | A Transocean Tours spokesman said the company's environmental and health officers had been working closely with the local authorities and that a full outbreak control plan in line with UK public health requirements was in place and being followed closely. |
| Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme it was a "very concerning situation" for those on board the ship and those in the local community. | Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme it was a "very concerning situation" for those on board the ship and those in the local community. |
| She said it was being dealt with by local agencies and that she was being regularly updated on developments. | She said it was being dealt with by local agencies and that she was being regularly updated on developments. |
| "I don't think it's appropriate to make knee-jerk reactions," she said. | "I don't think it's appropriate to make knee-jerk reactions," she said. |
| "Thankfully the kind of situation we have seen develop is a rare occurrence." | "Thankfully the kind of situation we have seen develop is a rare occurrence." |
| Although norovirus is fairly common its effects are magnified when outbreaks occur within enclosed spaces such as cruise liners. | Although norovirus is fairly common its effects are magnified when outbreaks occur within enclosed spaces such as cruise liners. |
| It is not usually dangerous, but can prove serious when it hits the very old, the very young or people with underlying health problems. | It is not usually dangerous, but can prove serious when it hits the very old, the very young or people with underlying health problems. |
| Are you on board the Marco Polo? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below: | Are you on board the Marco Polo? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
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