Italian health authorities ordered preventive antibiotics to 2,800 passengers and crew aboard MSC Orchestra, which docked yesterday in Livorno, Italy
Four crew members of the cruise ship MSC Orchestra have been hospitalized and receiving medical treatment after they been diagnosed with "bacterial meningitis", MSC Cruises confirmed today.

Two crewmembers, an Indonesian, 32, and Filipino, 30, from the engine room department, were admitted in serious condition in the Department of Infectious Diseases in Livorno Hospital, while the other two crewmembers, are admitted to the infectious diseases department of the institute. They were hospitalized with high fever and severe headache. In a statement, MSC Cruises, confirmed that the condition of one of the crew members is very serious.

    According to health authorities, "all passengers on board have been treated with antibiotics as a precaution", MSC said that "no other crewmember or passenger shows signs of symptoms".

 Group of doctors from MSC Cruises has embarked to monitor the situation closely. The company reports that has taken "all necessary measures to protect the health of the passengers and crew."

 MSC Orchestra will continue its usual itinerary to Villefranche, Valencia, Ibiza, Tunis, Catania and Naples.