Two cruise ship crew in danger after meningitis infection

LEGHORN -- Two of four members of crew of the cruise ship MSC Orchestra diagnosed with meningitis are in a critical condition.

A 32-year-old Indonesian, who was the first to be infected, is in the most in danger and is now in reanimation after he went into septic shock. A 47-year-old man from Sorrento, Italy, who was employed as a cook on board, is also in a serious condition and remains in reanimation.

The other two, a Brazilian and a Filipino, are in the infectious diseases ward. Their condition is stable. All four members of crew had to quit the vessel at Leghornin order to receive additional medical care.

All of the crew and passengers remaining on board were offered preventative treatment against the disease, and no other cases have been discovered since yesterday.

The ship decided to continue its course normally after a two-hour delay in Leghorn. It arrived at the French portof Villefrancheon time this morning, and the crew are continuing services and disembarkation as normal. Its next stops are Valencia, Ibiza, Tunis, Cataniaand Naples.

MSC Cruises affirms that “all of the necessary measures have been taken in order to assure the maximal safety and comfort of all of our passengers and crew”. To this end the sanity direction of MSC Cruises embarked onto the MSC Orchestra this morning in order to supervise the necessary operations.

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