St. Lucia's chief medical officer Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James said in a statement that the case is now being investigated.
She said given the highly infectious nature of Measles, along with the possibility that other persons on board the vessel may have been in contact with and are now possibly infectious due to the disease, a decision was made not to allow persons to disembark.
Fredericks-James said the department of health would "continue to support them as needed", and that "the ship is free to leave our ports at any time". "One infected person can easily infect others".
The Freewinds also serves as a recreational destination for Scientology bigwigs, including leader David Miscavige, and celebrity mega-Scientologist, Tom Cruise.
The quarantine impacts almost 300 passengers and crew aboard a ship called the Freewinds, reports NBC News, citing the St. Lucia Coast Guard.
A Freewinds cruise ship, owned and operated by the Church of Scientology, was reportedly the vessel quarantined in St. Lucia because of a confirmed case of Measles onboard.
The ship tracking website MarineTraffic.com shows a Freewinds - the only passenger ship it has on record by that name - docked at a St Lucia port. Photographs of the craft there appear to match those on Scientology's website.
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In addition, the NDRF is keeping on standby 13 teams in West Bengal and 10 in Andhra Pradesh, a Central government official said. Coastal Puri town, some 62 kms (40 miles) from Bhubaneshwar, has also been put a high alert.
The Church of Scientology has not officially published a stance on vaccines, and does not prevent followers from following doctors advice or taking medicine.
The controversial religious organisation calls the Freewinds "a very special place". "It is the most significant spiritual accomplishment of his lifetime and brings with it the full realization of his immortality", the church's website says.
This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available. The CDC says a person can catch it simply by being in the same room an infected person was in - even up to two hours after the infected person left.
While St. Lucian officials can keep people from leaving the ship, they cannot keep the ship from leaving. "They make their own decisions, but those aren't decisions that the church tries to influence in any way".
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter the Church of Scientology regarding vaccination said "it takes no position one way or the other on this issue". Once unvaccinated communities are exposed, it becomes hard to stem the spread of measles.
Vaccinate yourself and your children, you jokers.
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