Top News

Holidaymakers aboard The Balmoral cruise ship claimed they were forced to quarantine themselves amid an outbreak of gastroenteritis. However, some passengers claimed the reports were overstated and most people actually had sea sickness. What is the difference between the two conditions?

Passengers reported regular tannoy messages warning about increasing cases of people with gastroenteritis symptoms. Fred Olsen Cruises’ director of health services, Kate Bunyan, told The Shetland Times that measures were introduced to reduce transmission onboard before the ship docked in Southhampton on Friday, January 30th. The ship’s next departure will also be delayed to facilitate a thorough deep clean while it’s in port, according to Chronicle Live.

Gastroenteritis is a highly contagious bacterial or viral infection that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It’s particularly common in young children but can affect anyone at any age.

• 'Heartbroken' mum misses £820 holiday after easyJet staff spot little-known passport issue
• Man wanting to return to UK from Australia will 'never get over' price of one thing

The symptoms can be incredibly unpleasant but usually resolves itself within a week according to NHS Inform. People with signs of gastroenteritis are advised not to go to their GP to avoid spreading the disease and to call 111 or their GP instead.

Symptoms:

• Sudden, watery diarrhoea
• Feeling sick
• Vomiting which may be projectile
• Mild fever
• Loss of appetite, headaches and aching limbs are less common

There’s no specific treatment for gastroenteritis. People may have to simply let the illness run its course while getting plenty of fluids and rest.

Sea sickness is a type of motion sickness that can cause similar symptoms to gastroenteritis but it is not contagious and can usually be relieved with a few simple actions rather than medication. It’s common to reaction to an unfamiliar motion, such as when travelling by boat.

It happens when the inner ear sense motion but the eyes don’t, leaving the brain with conflicting messages about what’s going on. For example, if you look at a stationary object such as land while travelling on a rocking boat, your inner ear will pick up motion that your eyes aren’t seeing.

Symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Feeling sick (nausea)
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Feeling cold and going pale
• Sweating

Pharmacists can recommend remedies to prevent motion sickness such as tablets, patches and acupressure bands. While experiencing sea sickness, there are a few ways to relieve the symptoms depending on what the cause is.

The NHS recommends sitting in the middle of the boat where there’s less motion and looking straight ahead at a fixed point like the horizon. Fresh air and focusing on taking slow, deep breaths can also help.