Cruise Ship in St. Lucia Quarantined Over Confirmed Measles Case

A cruise ship with nearly 300 passengers and crew was ordered quarantined in the Caribbean port of St. Lucia after a case of measles was confirmed on board, island health officials said Wednesday. From a report: One female crew member has a confirmed case and St. Lucian authorities said they've been working in close consultation with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). The ship has been under quarantine since Monday morning, officials said. 'Measles in a highly contagious disease. Anyone who is not adequately immunized against measles can contract the disease, if there has been close contact with a confirmed case,' according to a statement issued Wednesday by Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, the island nation's chief medical officer. 'It is therefore likely that other persons on the boat may have been exposed.' 'The ship's doctor has the confirmed case in isolation on the ship,' Dr. Fredericks-James added. 'The individual is in stable condition.' St. Lucian health officials declined to name the ship involved. But St. Lucia Coast Guard Sgt. Victor Theodore told NBC News that the vessel involved is named 'Freewinds,' which is the name of a 440-foot cruise ship owned and operated by the Church of Scientology

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