The Pacific Dawn, since it last touched Lifou Island, one of its regular ports of call, has been subject to medical and health scrutiny from Australian authorities, since it returned to its Sydney base.
This is because several persons have since presented symptoms described as possibly related to the A(H1N1) influenza.
The Pacific Dawn visited Lifou last week, as part of its regular cruises around Melanesia.
In its public appeal, relayed by local media, the DASS evokes a potential hotbed of A(H1N1) influenza on Lifou, because of the recent day-long visit of the Pacific Dawn and its some two thousand tourists.
Since the global alert was declared early May by the World Health Organization, no case has been detected in New Caledonia, where the preventive protection systems mainly relies on checks at international arrival points, ports and airports, with the help of heat detection cameras for body temperature screening purposes.
Since it came back to Sydney on Monday, the Pacific Dawn has been subjected to a special treatment.
Some crew members have been asked by Australian officials to remain onboard for one week, Radio Australia reported on Tuesday.
At least three children onboard all aged under 10 were reported as presenting flu-like symptoms.
When tests found the children had swine flu, the ship could not leave for its next destination, the Whitsunday Islands, until health authorities gave it the go-ahead.
However, the ship eventually left but many passengers, inconvenienced by the wait, say they would rather be safe than sorry.
Of the ship passengers, 130 have been contacted and many will be tested for swine flu.
Carnival Australia, the company that owns Pacific Dawn, reassured, saying they had received the green light from New South Wales health authorities and that the Pacific Dawn had in fact now left Sydney.
“I think it’s important to note here that we have very well-trained doctors and very well-equipped medical centers on board our ships … In some cases we’re better equipped to deal with the spread of contagious disease, better than perhaps many other holiday destinations are”, spokeswoman Sandy Olsen said.
