(CNN) A cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology that has a female crew member with a case of measles on board has departed from St. Lucia, according to marinetraffic.com.

The chief medical officer of St. Lucia said on Thursday that the ship would likely leave Port Castries where it was moored for its home port that night. The Church of Scientology says on its website the ship's home port is in Curaçao.

The Freewinds, with approximately 300 crew members and passengers, was been quarantined in a port in the Caribbean island's capital since officials discovered the person on board has the highly contagious disease, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James.

On Thursday, the ship's doctor requested 100 doses of the measles vaccine, according to a statement from the St. Lucia Department of Health and Wellness, "and this is currently being provided from our supplies, at no cost."

Crew members and passengers are being monitored by the ship's doctor, the statement said. "Continued surveillance is necessary as the incubation period for measles ranges from 10 to 12 days before symptoms in exposed persons occur," the statement added.

Read More</s>The cruise ship quarantined in St. Lucia as medical officials investigate a possibly confirmed case of measles is the Freewinds, which belongs to the Church of Scientology, according to St. Lucia Marine Police.

Sgt. Victor Theodore of the St. Lucia Marine Police told ABC News on Thursday that no one had gotten on or off the ship since it was quarantined.

Theodore said he believes the ship is scheduled to depart Thursday night for Curacao, its home port. He did not know where the boat had come 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."

"Its position at sea is designed to provide an aesthetic, distraction-free environment off the crossroads of everyday life," it reads. "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.

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

Dr. Merlene Fredericks James said in a YouTube video on Tuesday that the cruise ship was being quarantined because of fears that others on the ship may be infected.

James said that her department had learned early Tuesday morning from "two reputable sources" that there had been a case of measles on board a cruise ship that had visited St. Lucia.

"As per the Quarantine Act, our authority under the Quarantine Act, the Public Health Act, and after internal discussions as well as discussions with external health agencies such as the Pan-American Health Organization, we thought it prudent that we quarantine the ship," she said. "The crew and passengers aboard were not allowed to leave."

At the time, James did not name the cruise line or the boat, and did not say where it came from.

"Measles, we know, is a highly infectious disease ...So because of the risk of potential infection, not just from the confirmed measles case but from other persons who may be on the boat at the time, we thought it prudent to make a decision not to allow anyone to disembark," she said. "The Ministry of Health continues to work with all authorities."

In her YouTube announcement, James referred to the current measles outbreaks in the U.S., and advised residents traveling to the U.S. and other parts of the world that they ensure they and their children are adequately vaccinated against the disease.

On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there had been 704 cases of measles reported nationally so far this year.

Preliminary global data showed that reported cases of measles have been up nearly 300% in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same time frame in 2018, according to the World Health Organization.

ABC News' Meghan Keneally contributed to the reporting in this story.</s>A cruise ship in the Caribbean has been quarantined after a case of measles was confirmed on board, health officials said Wednesday.

MORE: 'Avengers' audience possibly exposed to measles at SoCal screening

The ship was quarantined off the island of St. Lucia, the nation's chief medical officer, Dr. Merlene Fredericks James, announced Tuesday.

Authorities learned of the case of the measles aboard the ship from "two reputable sources" early Tuesday, and passengers and crew have since been asked to remain on the ship so as not to risk infecting others.

The infected person is reportedly a crew member, but the ship is apparently carrying nearly 300 people altogether.

"We thought it prudent that we quarantine the ship," said Fredericks James.

ALSO: At these 7 Bay Area schools, more than half of students are unvaccinated

She added that residents of St. Lucia should be mindful and aware of the measles threat because of the number of visitors the island receives from the United States. The quarantined ship is scheduled to leave Thursday.

While health officials did not identify the ship, Coast Guard Sgt. Victor Theodore told NBC News it's called the "Freewinds," which is the name of the Church of Scientology-owned cruise ship that operates in the Caribbean. The Scientology-owned Freewinds houses "a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion."

"The Freewinds is a very special place," the church explains. "It is the one place a Scientologist may go and be certain he will be able to devote himself entirely to his religious practice and in the company of people who share his religious commitment and outlook on life in general."</s>ST. LUCIA – Health officials in St. Lucia have ordered a cruise ship reportedly owned by the Church of Scientology to stay in port after they learned through “reputable sources” someone on board has the measles.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James said after internal discussions and talks with the Pan American Health Organization “we thought it prudent that we quarantine the ship.”

She said one person with measles could easily infect others through coughing and sneezing. She said they learned of the measles case through two reputable sources.

The vessel, named “Freewinds,” is still moored there, St. Lucia Coast Guard Sgt. Victor Theodore told NBC News.

The St. Lucia Times posted an image of the ship Wednesday and several marine tracking websites show the ship in Port Castries on the Caribbean island.

The Church of Scientology didn’t respond to CNN’s request for comment. It says on its website the ship is a religious retreat at the pinnacle of a Scientologist’s spiritual journey.

Fredericks-James said no one was allowed to disembark from the ship.

Using quarantines to assist in controlling an outbreak, while uncomfortable, is an important public health option, Rebecca Katz, who directs the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University, told CNN last week.

“Quarantine is a word that people respond to very strongly, but it’s actually one of the strongest tools in the public health tool kit,” Katz said. “But because it curtails civil liberties, most public health officials are very wary to utilize it.”

Every state has laws in place that allow quarantines and other public health enforcement tools, and they differ based on the jurisdiction. For anyone who refuses to cooperate, actions can range from issuing a self-isolation order to “checking in once a day via the internet, to putting a tracking device on somebody, to placing an armed guard outside of their home,” Katz said.

“Sometimes people feel like they’re being treated like a criminal,” Katz added. “The point is to be treated like you’re doing something that is contributing to your society and only be treated like a criminal if you disobey.”

Fredericks-James said health officials were using authority given to them by the nation’s quarantine act and public health act.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes or if someone comes into direct contact or shares germs by touching the same objects or surfaces. Symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a rash of red spots.

Measles cases in the United States have surpassed the highest number on record since the disease was declared eliminated nationwide in 2000.</s>Authorities on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao have announced they will quarantine a ship carrying 300 people, after confirmation that a female crew member has measles.

Freewinds, a 440-foot ship reportedly owned by the Church of Scientology, and is set to dock early Saturday.

Health officials say they will board the vessel when it arrives and assess who has been vaccinated for measles or has had the virus previously.

They say proof will be required, and that those who do not comply will be vaccinated immediately, regardless of their religious views.

The Church of Scientology website describes the Freewinds as a floating 'religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion'.

It is normally docked in Curacao when not in use, but Church officials have not returned messages for comment.

The ship departed Curacao for the nearby island of St Lucia on April 28.

Prior to departure, a female crew member had visited a doctor for cold symptoms. She told medics that she had recently been in Europe.

A blood sample was taken, but by the time officials diagnosed her with measles, she had already left port on the ship.

Curacao health officials then alerted authorities in St. Lucia, who banned passengers from disembarking when they reached island. The ship has now turned back to Curacao.

Officials urged anyone who visited the Freewinds ship from April 22-28 to get a medical checkup.

Symptoms include runny nose, fever and a red-spotted rash. The measles virus is highly contagious and can cause blindness, deafness, brain damage or death.

Measles has sickened more than 700 people in 22 US states this year, with federal officials saying the resurgence is driven by misinformation about vaccines.

Diagnoses are at their highest levels since 1994, when 963 cases were reported.

The CDC says this year's count includes 44 people who caught the disease while traveling in another country.

Some of them triggered US outbreaks, mostly among non-vaccinated people.

That includes the largest outbreaks, in Orthodox Jewish communities in and around New York City.

Three-quarters of those who caught the disease are children or teenagers.</s>
• A cruise ship has been quarantined off the coast of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia after health officials learned of a measles case on board.
• The coast guard named the ship as the “Freewinds,” the name of a vessel owned and operated by the Church of Scientology in the Caribbean.
• The church describes the ship as being used for “a religious retreat” and “the most advanced level of spiritual counseling.”
• As measles is spread through the air and is highly contagious, officals said they felt it was “prudent” to stop people from getting off the ship.

A cruise ship apparently owned by the Church of Scientology has been quarantined off a Caribbean island after officials learned of a measles case on board.

The ship, carrying 300 passengers, was ordered to stay in St Lucia’s port and passengers were ordered to stay on board, Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, the chief medical officer of St. Lucia, said in a statement, NBC News reported.

Fredericks-James said that the ship’s doctor confirmed a female passenger had the highly infectious virus and that it was “likely that other persons on the boat may have been exposed.”

She said officials “thought it prudent that we quarantine the ship.”

Victor Theodore, a St. Lucia Coast Guard sergeant, told NBC News that the ship is named Freewinds, which is the name of a ship the Church of Scientology operates in the Carribean.

The vessel is advertised on the Church of Scientology’s website as a “440-foot ship based in the Caribbean.” Cruises operated on the boat are described as “a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion.”

Read more: 3 graphics show how the measles epidemic is getting worse across the US

It described boarding the ship as “the pinnacle of a deeply spiritual journey” for Scientologists.

“It is the one place a Scientologist may go and be certain he will be able to devote himself entirely to his religious practice and in the company of people who share his religious commitment and outlook on life in general.”

Ship tracking website MarineTraffic says that a ship named the Freewinds that is the same size as the church’s ship is currently moored in St Lucia’s port.

INSIDER has contacted the Church of Scientology for comment.

Fredericks-James said that no one is allowed to disembark the ship, but that St. Lucian officials would not stop the ship from leaving the island’s port, NBC News reported.

The measles virus is one of the most contagious, and a growing anti-vaccination movement has led to a surge of cases in the US and around the world.

The Church of Scientology told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016 that it “takes no position one way or the other” on vaccinations, and the church does advocate for the use of prescribed medical drugs to treat illnesses.

The World Health Organization reported in April that measles cases rose by 300% globally in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same time in 2018.

The US Centers for Disease Control said in mid-April that 555 had already gotten sick from the virus so far in 2019.

There is no treatment for measles, though doctors can work to reduce the symptoms, which include a high fever, rashes, and coughing. It can be deadly in some cases – around one in 1,000 people who get the virus develop brain swelling that can be fatal.

Read more: Tell-tale signs you or someone you know might have the measles

The virus’ symptoms do not manifest immediately and it spreads through the air. It can remain infectious up to two hours after a person with it coughs or sneezes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who have been vaccinated can still get measles, and people who are unable to get vaccinated are put at increased risk as vaccination rates drop.</s>Scientology Cruise Ship Heads To Curaçao After St. Lucia Quarantines It For Measles

The cruise ship that was placed under quarantine by St. Lucia because of a confirmed case of measles onboard is bound for Curaçao. It's not clear what will happen when the vessel, called the Freewinds, arrives there.

The Church of Scientology operates the ship and calls Curaçao its home port. Nearly 300 passengers and crew are onboard, NBC News reports.

A tracking map on MarineTraffic.com shows the vessel left the port city of Castries on St. Lucia Thursday night and is due to arrive at Willemstad, Curaçao, on Saturday morning.

Health authorities in St. Lucia made the decision to quarantine the Freewinds after a female crew member was confirmed to have measles. There was concern that others onboard might have been infected and that measles could spread to the Caribbean island, which has been free of local transmission of the disease since 1990. St. Lucia's Ministry of Health and Wellness said on Thursday it had provided 100 doses of measles vaccine to people on the ship.

The disease is extremely contagious. An unvaccinated person can catch it simply by being in the same room an infected person was in, for up to two hours after the infected person left.

In its most recent update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 700 individual cases of measles in the U.S. so far this year. New York has been one epicenter of the outbreak, where there have been 493 cases this year.

On its website, the Church of Scientology explains that for a Scientologist, boarding the Freewinds is "the pinnacle of a deeply spiritual journey."

As we reported Thursday, the Church of Scientology says its members rely on the advice and treatment of medical doctors, but several high-profile Scientologists have spoken out against vaccination.

Curaçao's vaccination rate is 97% in children born since 2007, according to the Pan American Health Organization.</s>A cruise ship quarantined for a reported case of measles has left the Caribbean island of St Lucia after health officials supplied 100 doses of vaccine to the ship, according to reports.

The Church of Scientology cruise ship was confined to port this week by island health officials after the highly contagious disease was detected onboard.

CNN reported that the ship had left St Lucia, and online ship traffic data showed the vessel was under way and headed for the island of Curaçao.

One case of measles had been confirmed on the ship, which had been docked in port near the capital, Castries, since Tuesday, Dr Merlene Frederick-James, St Lucia’s chief medical officer, said in a video statement.

“The confirmed case as well as other crew members are presently stable, but remain under surveillance by the ship’s doctor,” she said, noting that the incubation period of measles is 10 to 12 days before symptoms appear.

The number of measles cases in the US has reached a 25-year peak with more than 700 people diagnosed as of this week, part of an international resurgence in the disease.

NBC News, citing a St Lucia coastguard sergeant, reported that the ship was called Freewinds, which is the name of a 440ft vessel owned and operated by the Church of Scientology.

According to Reuters Eikon shipping data, a Panamanian-flagged cruise liner identified as SMV Freewinds had been docked in port near Castries on Thursday. It was at sea and expected to arrive at Curaçao on Saturday.

The Church of Scientology describes the Freewinds on its website as a floating “religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counselling in the Scientology religion”.

Church officials did not respond to requests for comment.

NBC News reported that nearly 300 passengers and crew were onboard the vessel, with one female crew member diagnosed with measles.

Public health officials blame declining vaccination rates in some communities on misinformation about inoculation, and say it has left those populations vulnerable to the rapid spread of infection among those with no immunity to the virus.

The vast majority of US cases have occurred in children who have not received vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), officials say.</s>A cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology has been quarantined in the Caribbean port of Saint Lucia for two days because of a measles case, health authorities said Thursday.

Resurgence of the once-eradicated, highly-contagious disease is linked to the growing anti-vaccine movement in richer nations, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified as a major global health threat.

"Given the highly infectious nature of measles, along with the possibility that other persons onboard the vessel may have been in contact with and are now possibly infectious due to this disease, a decision was made not to allow persons to disembark," said Merlene Fredericks-James, the island's chief medical officer.

She added that the infected patient was a female crew member and that the ship was the Freewinds -- a 440-foot (134- meter) vessel the Church of Scientology says is used for religious retreats and is normally based in Curacao.

The ship asked for 100 doses of measles vaccine, which Saint Lucia authorities are providing at no cost, with the patient under observation.

The church, founded by science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in 1953, did not respond to requests for comment.

Its teachings do not directly oppose vaccination, but followers consider illness a sign of personal failing and generally eschew medical interventions.

Tony Ortega, who runs a blog about the group, told AFP: "When a Scientologist gets a cold, they would be asked to write an essay about who they think that is against the church that is making them sick.

"They would definitely be interrogating that person and they would punish that person because when you're sick like that, in Scientology, it's always your own fault."

The Church of Scientology has various levels its members can attain that become more expensive as they progress.

According to Ortega, the Freewinds was launched by the church in 1988 for the highest level members can reach, known as "OT VIII" or "Operating Thetan Level 8."

An estimated 169 million children worldwide missed out on the vital first dose of the measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017, according to a UNICEF report issued last month.

There were four times as many measles cases in the first quarter of this year as in the corresponding period in 2018.

According to the last statement issued by Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on April 18, only one Caribbean country, The Bahamas, has had a case of measles in 2019, a four-year-old child who had come from France.</s>The Scientology ship Freewinds has been quarantined because of a measles outbreak.

The Scientology ship Freewinds has been quarantined because of a measles outbreak.

A cruise ship known as "Freewinds" is reported to be quarantined off the shore of St Lucia in the Caribbean after an outbreak of measles.

The island nation has confirmed passengers and crew are not being allowed to disembark for fears over the highly contagious disease.

The Scientology-run cruise ship is believed to have at least one confirmed case of measles.

St Lucia's chief medical officer Dr Merlene Fredericks-James told the media the case was being taken very seriously.

"Because of the risk of potential infection, not just from the confirmed measles case but from other persons who may be on the boat at the time, we thought it prudent to make a decision not to allow anyone to disembark," she said.

The ship's doctor requested 100 doses of anti-measles vaccines, which have been supplied by the island's Department of Health and Wellness.

The USA is in the midst of the largest measles outbreak in 25 years despite having previously eradicated the disease.

While St Lucia's department of health did not identify the ship, it was named by St Lucia Coastguard as the Freewinds in an interview with CNN.

The Port Authorities schedule confirms the vessel arrived in Port Castries on Tuesday and is scheduled for a Thursday departure.

The Freewinds is a 140-metre ship, owned and operated by the Church of Scientology.

The church's website describes Freewinds as "a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counselling in the Scientology religion".

Three-hundred people are thought to be on-board the affected vessel.

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter regarding vaccination, the Church of Scientology said "it takes no position one way or the other on this issue".

John Carmichael, president of the Church of Scientology in New York, explained to the Beliefnet website there was no official stance on vaccinations "as a religious principle".

"Scientologists are pretty independent people, though I will say this: they tend to do a little more research, perhaps, on the effect of various medical procedures or whatever," he said.

"They make their own decisions, but those aren't decisions that the church tries to influence in any way."

Dr Fredericks-James said the department of health would "continue to support them as needed," and "the ship is free to leave our ports at any time".

St Lucia declared itself free of measles in 1990.

This article originally appeared on the New Zealand Herald and was reproduced with permission.
The Freewinds cruise ship is quarantined in Saint Lucia over concerns of a measles epidemic after it is reported that one of the passengers has the disease. The cruise ship is reportedly owned by the Church of Scientology, a religious organization that opposes vaccinations against diseases such as measles.