The Scientology Cruise Ship Quarantined for Measles Has Set Sail. Here ’s How the Next Port Plans to Handle It

The Scientology cruise ship that was quarantined in St. Lucia is now sailing for the Dutch Caribbean island Curaçao, and officials say that they’re currently preparing for what’s next. The vessel, Freewinds, is scheduled to arrive at its homeport in Curaçao on Saturday morning, Dr. Izzy Gerstenbluth, the national epidemiologist for the island of 160,000 people, tells TIME. Freewinds set sail from St. Lucia on Thursday night, St. Lucia officials say. St. Lucia officials refused to allow the ship’s crew or passengers to disembark when the ship arrived at the island on Tuesday because the country had received reports that a female crew member was diagnosed with measles, the St. Lucia health department said in a statement. At the request of the ship’s doctor, the island provided the vessel with 100 measles vaccines. Although the vessel was placed under quarantine, St. Lucia officials said that the ship was permitted to leave at any time. Gerstenbluth says that Curaçao will consider permitting people who are immune to the disease to disembark in Curaçao, which includes people who are vaccinated or have previously contracted the illness. The infected passenger may have been contagious until Tuesday, Gerstenbluth says, and passengers without immunity will need to be monitored for three weeks––until May 21. The ship’s doctor is compiling medical records for everyone aboard the ship, and Curaçao and other he...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Infectious Disease onetime Travel Source Type: news