Norovirus cruise to be met by port health officials

There are almost 3,000 passengers on board Ventura, according to P&O Cruises

A cruise ship which is experiencing a norovirus outbreak will be met by health officials on its return to the UK.

A number of passengers on Ventura were reported to have sickness and diarrhoea.

P&O Cruises said "enhanced" sanitation protocols had been put in place on the ship, which left Southampton for the Canary Islands on 11 May.

Southampton Port Health Authority said it would offer assistance to the vessel when it returns on Saturday.

Passengers with the stomach bug have been asked to isolate in their cabins

The authority said it had been made aware of "elevated numbers" of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) on the cruise ship.

P&O Cruises confirmed to the BBC that the illness was norovirus.

Earlier on Wednesday, a spokeswoman reported there were "currently 0.64% symptomatic on-board Ventura".

She would not reveal the figures at their peak - but added that it proved "the efficacy of our extensive protocols".

There are just under 3,000 passengers on-board, according to the company. With a capacity of 3,078 passengers and 1,205 crew, it means the ship is almost full.

Ventura is expected to dock in Southampton at 06:00 BST on Saturday following its two-week trip, according to Associated British Ports (ABP).

"Those symptomatic guests will disembark later and separately," P&O said.

The vessel is scheduled to leave the same day for a seven-night trip to Spain and Portugal.

'Constant sanitation'

The 14-night cruise included stops in Madeira, La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Cadiz and Lisbon.

"Constant and enhanced sanitation" was being carried out by specialist teams following reports of "gastrointestinal symptoms", P&O previously said.

Those with symptoms had also been asked to isolate in their cabins, it added.

But some passengers from previous cruises on Ventura told the BBC the issue had been going on for weeks.

One said P&O was "downplaying" the situation, while another felt the cruise company was "putting profit before the health of their passengers".

P&O apologised and said its highest priority was always the wellbeing of everyone.

Ventura is due back in Southampton on Saturday morning

In a statement, Southampton Port Health Authority said it had had been communicating with parent company Carnival UK and understood the ship was continuing to sail at a "heightened level of response for AGE".

"We are working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to offer assistance to the vessel on its return to Southampton," it added.

Norovirus levels across the country were higher in April than would usually be expected, according to UKHSA.