Ebola worries force stricter screening for cruise ship passengers

The Carnival Magic cut short its voyage after one of its passengers was refused entry at Belize. Photo / AP

Cruise lines are putting strict new screening tests on passengers boarding ships around the world - including New Zealand - because of fears over Ebola.

Sean Treacy, commercial director Asia Pacific for Royal Caribbean, said safety of passengers was the number one priority.

"We already screen guests and crew before they board and we've added a new policy so anyone who's been in any of the affected regions in the last 30 days will be denied boarding - or anyone who's been in contact with anyone who could have had the virus."

Watch: Cruise ship returns to US over Ebola fears

While the risk was extremely low, medical staff on board are trained to look out for any symptoms, he said.

At the weekend there was an Ebola scare aboard one of a rival cruise company's ships.

The Carnival Magic, with a Dallas health care worker aboard who handled a lab specimen from a Liberian man who died from Ebola, cut its voyage short after Belize officials refused entry for the passenger. She quarantined herself in her cabin and was later cleared of Ebola.

Carnival Australia said it had adopted a global approach, too.

"Our guests can be assured we have robust medical protocols in place that are consistent with Australian and international public health recommendations," a spokesman said.

The company had added questions related to Ebola exposure to the mandatory pre-boarding health questionnaire that passengers complete.

In spite of the low risk of transmission among travellers the airline industry has also been hit by fears and airline share prices affected.

The International Air Transport Association said it liaised with the World Health Organisation to ensure the procedures for handling medical samples were up to date.

"The risk of getting infected on an aircraft is also small as sick persons usually feel so unwell that they cannot travel and infection requires direct contact with the body fluids of the infected person."