TORONTO — Over 2,000 passengers on board a Norwegian cruise ship have been denied boarding in Mauritius following reports of a cholera outbreak on board.

The Norwegian Dawn, which departed on a 12-day itinerary from Cape Town to the Mauritius capital of Port Louis on Feb. 13 with 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew on board, was denied permission to dock by Mauritian authorities on Sunday due to “potential health risks.”

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said that “a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness” during the South Africa voyage, and that precautionary measures have since been implemented, including elevated sanitation procedures. 

Though the nature of the illness has not been confirmed, multiple media outlets are reporting it as a suspected outbreak of cholera, a disease transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

According to the Mauritius Ports Authority, samples were taken on Sunday from at least 15 passengers on board, all of whom have been placed in isolation. Results will take 48 hours. Passengers who were due to board the ship in Mauritius to being their cruise have relocated to available hotels.