A cruise ship from the Church of Scientology quarantined in St. Lucia due to a possible measles

The cruise ship quarantined in St. Lucia while medical authorities were investigating a possibly confirmed case of measles is the Freewinds, which belongs to the Church of Scientology, according to the Saint Lucia Marine Police.

Sgt. Victor Theodore of the St. Lucia Marine Police told ABC News Thursday that no one had been taken on board or landed since being quarantined.

Theodore said that he thought the ship was due to leave Thursday night for Curacao, its home port. He did not know where the boat was coming from and could not confirm the identity of the person with measles.

The Freewinds website describes the ship as "a religious retreat that marks for Scientologists the pinnacle of their journey to total spiritual freedom."

Courtesy St. Lucia Times

"His position at sea is designed to provide an aesthetic environment, without distraction, at the crossroads of everyday life," he says. "As a center of spiritual enlightenment, it is a place where lives are transformed."

The Church of Scientology has not responded to a request for comment from ABC News.

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The crew and pbadengers on board were not allowed to leave.

On Wednesday, the medical officer of the island of St. Lucia confirmed that the Ministry of Health was investigating a possible case of measles aboard a cruise ship currently moored in one of its ports.

Merlene Fredericks James said Tuesday in a YouTube video that the cruise ship was in quarantine, fearing that other people on the ship would be infected.

James said his department had learned Tuesday morning of "two reputable sources" that there had been a case of measles aboard a cruise ship that had visited St. Lucia.

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"Under the Quarantine Act, our authority under the Public Health Act and after internal discussions as well as discussions with external health agencies such as the Pan American Health Organization, we have considered it prudent to quarantine the ship, "she says. "The crew and pbadengers on board were not allowed to leave."

At the time, James did not name the cruise company nor the boat and did not specify where he was coming from.

"Measles, we know it, is a very contagious disease … So, because of the potential risk of infection, not only from the case of confirmed measles, but also from other people who might be on the boat at that time, we thought it prudent to make a decision not to allow anyone to land, "she said. "The Ministry of Health continues to work with all authorities."

In his YouTube ad, James spoke about the ongoing measles outbreaks in the United States and advised residents traveling to the United States and other parts of the world to ensure that they and their children are properly immunized against the disease.

On Monday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 704 cases of measles have been reported nationally since the beginning of the year.

According to preliminary global data, reported measles cases increased by nearly 300% in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, according to the World Health Organization.

Meghan Keneally, of ABC News, contributed to the story in this story.