Thousands of passengers were stranded on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship Sunday amid a suspected cholera outbreak.

A Norwegian cruise ship was due to enter Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, on Sunday, but permission was denied after at least 15 people fell ill and were quarantined due to a suspected cholera outbreak. according to To the BBC. Mauritian authorities initially blocked the ship to take samples from a passenger who developed symptoms of a mild stomach illness, forcing all 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members to remain on board.

According to the BBC, in an update shared shortly after the first news of the suspected infection broke, the Mauritian Ministry of Health Director-General confirmed that the passenger had gastroenteritis and not cholera. report. The cruise ship was then given the green light to berth.

Mauritius blocks Norwegian cruise ship from entering port over cholera concerns https://t.co/622nUKrtFi

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 26, 2024

At the time of writing, South Africa and neighboring Zambia are both affected by cholera outbreaks, but passengers told the BBC that the ship's crew appeared to be taking the situation in stride.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that can cause death within hours if untreated. according to To the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease is easily spread through contaminated water and food, and is estimated to cause approximately 1.3 million to 4 million infections annually. (RELATED: 'Everyone is panicking': Passengers desperately try to sink, 1 dead: video)

Since January 2023, an estimated 188,000 people have been infected with cholera and more than 3,000 have died across southern African states, the BBC reported. Cholera pandemics have killed millions of people around the world throughout history, most recently starting in South Asia in 1961.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller's request for comment.