Passenger dies after norovirus outbreak on P&O cruise
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Alan Forster, 77, died from suspected kidney failure after a cruise on P&O ship Arcadia last October. A cruise passenger died following a norovirus outbreak on a US-bound ship that confined dozens of travellers to their cabins. Alan Forster, 77, from Paignton, died from suspected kidney failure last October after falling ill with norovirus during a cruise with his wife.
The retired teacher was two weeks into a month-long voyage around the US and Canada when he developed symptoms of the gastric illness, including diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting onboard P&O Cruises’ Arcadia ship. Departing Southampton on 3 September, the cruise itinerary included docks in New York, Boston, Halifax and Nova Scotia.
Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach bug with common symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell claim that a week after reporting norovirus symptoms, Mr Forster collapsed and was placed on a drip in the ship’s medical bay but was not offered any other medical treatment.
He was taken to hospital for treatment when the ship docked in Saint John, Canada, due to his “deteriorating condition” and failing kidneys. The cruise line and crew encouraged good hand hygiene, collected stool samples and increased cleaning and disinfection procedures amid reports of norovirus cases, with several passengers quarantined in their cabins, said the CDC.
