Scientology Cruise Ship Passengers, Crew Still Under Quarantine

Hundreds of passengers and crew members of a Church of Scientology cruise ship remain under quarantine in its home port of Curacao while awaiting measles test results.

Blood samples from the 277 people were sent to the Netherlands, and the test results were expected to arrive by Wednesday. Curacao health officials will then decide whether to allow passengers and crew to disembark the cruise ship "Freewinds," ABC News reported. At least 31 crew members and 10 passengers were able to provide proof that they were negative for measles.

No one has been allowed to leave the ship since April 30 when it docked in St. Lucia with a possible case of measles on board. The next day, a crew member tested positive for measles and the ship was quarantined until it left St. Lucia last Thursday, ABC News reported. The affected crew member was immediately isolated after showing symptoms and was kept "in a single-patient medical room with a special controlled-air ventilation system to prevent the airborne spread of any illness to other parts of the ship," according to a Church of Scientology statement issued Sunday.

The affected crew member has since recovered, according to Izzy Gerstenbluth, M.D., head of the Epidemiology and Research Unit at Curacao's Ministry of Health, ABC News reported. "The irony is she's probably the safest on board," he added.

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