Scientology cruise ship passengers, Freewinds, cleared of measles risk, according to church

May 15, 2019, 12:36 UTC / Update May 15, 2019, 16:01 UTC

By Elisha Fieldstadt

All of the passengers and crew of a cruise ship owned and operated by the Church of Scientology have been cleared of the risk of spread or contraction of measles after the isolation of an employee on board, revealed Tuesday by Scientology.

The vessel, called Freewinds, was originally quarantined in St. Lucia at the end of last month before boarding for its port of Curacao with about 300 people on board.

Those aboard the ship who had already been vaccinated or who had contracted measles were free to leave the ship by 240 meters, health officials said on May 4. All others would be vaccinated on board. A doctor aboard the ship ordered about 100 doses of measles vaccine before leaving St. Lucia.

The statement from the Church of Scientology said: "All passengers and crew members (100%) of the Freewinds have been completely cleared of any possible risk of being infected with measles or d & # 39; 39, infect other people ".

"Freewinds' safety and medical protocols, exceeding the usual nautical standards, have proven to be very effective in containing the disease until one case." the statement said. The statement did not mention the condition of the staff member who had measles. Officials previously said that she was in a stable state.

Measles causes fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and rashes. Although most people recover, complications can cause brain swelling and death.

In the United States, more than 700 people have been diagnosed with the disease this year, which represents the highest number of cases reported since 1994. Officials say the outbreak is due to misinformation about vaccines.

The Church of Scientology had not yet responded to NBC News's requests for comments on the vessel. The Freewinds is "home to the Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO), a religious retreat providing the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the religion of Scientology," says the church's website.