Costa Cruises tightens procedures to prevent repeat of Lerwick incident
LERWICK Port Authority (LPA) has spoken to Costa Cruises about preventing a repeat of an incident which saw a potentially sickness-hit cruise liner dock in Lerwick without their knowledge.
Both LPA and NHS Shetland said they were not told that some passengers aboard the Costa Favolosa had contracted gastroenteritis before she sailed into Shetland on Tuesday.
Widespread concern was raised about the potential for the illness to spread throughout the community after thousands of passengers disembarked the boat last week.
The LPA had come in for criticism on Tuesday, but it said on Wednesday that it had not been notified of any sickly passengers before the arrival of the 290 metre long cruise ship.
The port authority has now said it has spoken to Costa Cruises to ensure there can be no repeat of the incident.
“Lerwick Port Authority has contacted parties involved, and agreed measures which will tighten up their procedures for ensuring documentation is completed correctly and timeously prior to a port call, to prevent recurrence,” the authority told Shetland News on Monday.
The LPA said last week vessels were required to declare any concerns relating to passenger health through their shipping agent to the local health authority.
Costa Cruises had insisted last Tuesday that its passengers had been cleared to disembark by “local health authorities”.
It said that some passengers had reported symptoms of “mild gastrointestinal illness” during the trip, but that increased hygiene and prevention measures had been brought in to ensure the spread could be stopped.
However NHS Shetland said it had only been told about ill passengers aboard the cruise ship “late in the afternoon” of last Tuesday.
It is understood that the cruise operator may have mistakenly contacted a health board in a different area for clearance before arriving in Lerwick.
Anger was expressed by a Lerwick shop owner and bus operator last week after around 3,000 passengers descended on the town before people were made aware of sickness aboard the cruise liner.
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Tourists were sitting aboard buses when bus companies J & DS Halcrow and R. Robertson and Son were informed of quarantines aboard the Costa Favolosa.
R. Robertson and Son managing director Sonia Robertson said it was “ridiculous” that companies were only warned while passengers were already aboard their buses.
And Blyde Welcome owner Celia Smith said there had been a “complete disregard for the local community’s safety” after the passengers flocked to Lerwick shops.
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