WILLEMSTAD – The cruise ship MS Eurodam has been granted permission to dock in Curaçao again after health authorities determined that the number of gastrointestinal cases on board has significantly decreased. The Ministry of Health, Environment, and Nature (GMN) confirmed that after consultation with the ship’s medical team and an extensive evaluation, the situation no longer poses an immediate public health risk. 

Earlier, GMN had denied passengers and crew members permission to disembark due to a norovirus outbreak that had affected the vessel between December and January. An investigation by GMN and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the presence of the highly contagious virus, which causes symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating. A similar outbreak had also been reported on the MS Rotterdam, another ship from the same cruise line. 

However, following strict hygiene and disinfection protocols, the Eurodam now meets all international sanitation standards. GMN stated that the number of symptomatic individuals is now below the permitted threshold, with affected passengers placed in isolation in accordance with outbreak prevention protocols. 

Given these improvements and the measures implemented by the ship’s crew and medical team, GMN no longer sees a reason to prevent the vessel from docking. Authorities will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that public health remains safeguarded.