Health surveillance on cruise ships during the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games

During the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, nine cruise ships will be berthed in Sydney Harbour, acting as floating hotels for an estimated 32 000 guests. Outbreaks of disease including gastroenteritis, Legionnaire’s disease, influenza, and tuberculosis (TB) are well documented aboard cruise ships, and the closed environment aboard the ships may promote the occurrence of outbreaks of disease that can affect large numbers of individuals.