A man has died and 200 people have fallen ill during a suspected outbreak of norovirus on cruise ship Marco Polo in the Cromarty Firth in Scotland.
The 74-year-old man from Norfolk, who has been named as Roy Sillett, died from a heart attack as the ship was entering Invergordon yesterday morning. It is not known whether he was suffering from norovirus, although reports said he was vomiting the previous night.
Doctors said 200 people were showing signs of the virus and four are being treated in hospital.
Local medical staff have boarded the ship to try and contain the outbreak while it remains docked at Invergordon. The ship, which is carrying 769 passengers and 340 crew, will remain at Invergordon until tomorrow (Wednesday, July 8).
Marco Polo, operated by Transocean Cruises, sailed from the Tilbury Dock in London at the weekend and was due to sail around Britain and Ireland over a 10-day period. Invergordon was its first stop and it is due to sail to Orkney and Stornoway.
Passengers on Marco Polo’s previous voyage to Iceland were also struck by the illness.
Most people make a full recovery from norovirus in a few days, but it can prove serious for elderly people who have underlying health problems.