'Ebola cruise' returns to Texas after it is turned away from Belize and Mexico
A cruise ship which sailed from Texas was stopped from entering Belize and Mexico because one of its passengers is a health worker from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
The woman is now in voluntary isolation with her husband on the ship. She had handled samples from Thomas Eric Duncan, who died from Ebola earlier in October.
Officials wanted her to fly home but Belize and Mexico refused to allow the Carnival vessel to dock.
According to the Daily Telegraph, passenger Jon Malone said there was "utter panic" on board.
"People are scared," he said. "I've seen people crying. You're using the same buffet line as someone else, the same waiters, the folks that clean the state rooms."
The health worker has not shown any signs of the disease since handling the samples 20 days ago.
When she left Texas on the cruise holiday on 12 October, health officials only required self-monitoring but now Texas Health Presbyterian has issued new guidelines, the New York Post reports.
Workers will not be allowed to board planes, ships or trains for 21 days after entering a room with an infected patient.
Khou.com reports that a helicopter was sent to the cruise ship to pick up a blood sample from the health worker before Carnival Magic returns to Texas on Sunday.
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