Businesses in Lerwick are facing a significant backlash following the mishandling of health protocols during the arrival of the Costa Favolosa cruise ship, which reportedly had a viral sickness outbreak onboard. Passengers were permitted to roam freely around the town while authorities scrambled to manage the viral gastroenteritis situation that had reportedly seen individuals falling ill onboard. The incident has raised critical questions about the communication and coordination between the cruise operators and local health authorities.
Tourists disembarked in Lerwick on a Tuesday, but it was only after bus companies were informed that some passengers were under quarantine that the true extent of the health risks became apparent. Sonia Robertson, managing director of local bus service R. Robertson and Son, expressed her disbelief that they were alerted only after passengers were already on board their buses. One individual’s violent sickness—a grim symptom consistent with gastroenteritis—prompted an immediate halt to the tours, which further disrupted local business.
Robertson voiced concerns about the potential financial ramifications of the health scare, stating, “Something like this could cripple the whole company and affect a lot of our staff and services.” In her decision to cancel the tours, she highlighted the need for thorough disinfection of the buses, which she recognised would incur additional costs. The aftermath of the incident has amplified worries within the local business community about the implications of such outbreaks, especially during a time when the return of tourism is still delicate following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Celia Smith, owner of Blyde Welcome café, echoed these concerns, noting that they were only made aware of the sickness onboard via informal channels. “As soon as anybody has left we’ve been disinfecting everything, like door handles,” Smith remarked, likening the urgency of sanitisation to measures taken during the height of the pandemic. The café had to grapple with the unsettling reality of being unprepared for the influx of tourists who were unaware of the health risks associated with their visit.
According to the Costa Cruises' official statement, the passengers were deemed safe to disembark by local health authorities. However, discrepancies emerged when NHS Shetland and Lerwick Port Authority declared they were unaware of any illness on the Costa Favolosa prior to Tuesday’s event. NHS Shetland claimed to have been informed only late that afternoon, while the Lerwick Port Authority stated that communication had not been received as protocol dictated. Such breakdowns in communication can undermine confidence in local health system responsiveness, particularly as cruise lines have seen an uptick in gastrointestinal outbreaks over the past year.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 2024 has marked a troubling trend for cruise ships, with 16 reported gastrointestinal illness outbreaks—the highest over the past decade. Symptoms typically manifest as sudden onset vomiting or diarrhoea, often associated with norovirus, which was the primary pathogen identified in three of those cases. The increase in outbreaks during winter months adds further apprehension to tourism industries reliant on cruise traffic.
Local businesses are now left navigating the fallout from an incident that exacerbates ongoing concerns about infectious diseases aboard cruise ships. The Costa Favolosa’s arrival in Lerwick was not an isolated case; similar gastroenteritis occurrences in past cruises, such as those aboard the Fred Olsen ships in 2013, underscore a pattern to which both cruise lines and port authorities must pay closer attention.
As Lerwick seeks to rebuild and sustain its tourism sector, effective communication and robust health protocols will be genuine measures of safety and reliability for both residents and visitors alike. The incident serves as a reminder of the fine line between welcoming tourism and ensuring public health, particularly in a post-pandemic landscape where the stakes remain notably high.
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Source: Noah Wire Services