Mauritius has denied docking permission to a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel over fears of cholera on board.
The 2,340-berth, 92,250-gt Norwegian Dawn (built 2002) was not allowed to berth in Port Louis on Saturday, the BBC reported.
At least 15 people on the cruise ship have been in isolation as a result of illness.
A Dutch passenger told BN DeStem they were informed by the captain there could be a cholera outbreak on board.
Mauritian authorities said the decision was made “in order to avoid any health risks”.
Samples from the ship were taken for testing and the result should be known soon.
Passengers were said to have developed mild symptoms of a stomach bug during a trip to South Africa on 13 February, the shipowner said.
Southern Africa has been hit by a number of cholera outbreaks in recent months.
“The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost [importance] to the authorities,” the Mauritius Ports Authority said.
The Norwegian Dawn is carrying 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members.
NCL was planning to disembark 2,000 people in Port Louis, with 2,000 boarding.
The new passengers will join the vessel on 27 February, it said.
The owner intends to work with local authorities to make sure precautions are in place when it does eventually dock in Mauritius.
