Another cruise liner's passengers fall sick

Another US cruise liner returned to port in Florida today with scores of sick passengers on board.

The Carnival liner Fascination docked in Miami with 171 passengers and four crew suffering from a gastrointestinal virus, with symptoms similar to those plaguing other cruise ships.

All had reported vomiting and diarrhoea, but experts had not yet confirmed whether they had a Norwalk-like virus, said Tim Gallagher, a Carnival spokesman.

Norwalk-like viruses have plagued more than 1,000 people on other cruise ships in the past few months, including Holland America Line’s Amsterdam and Disney Cruise Line’s Magic, causing those companies to cancel one sailing each to thoroughly disinfect the ships.

The illness is seasonal, peaking in the colder months, and is not uncommon, said Dr Steven Wiersma, the state epidemiologist.

He said it was too early to tell if the recent outbreaks represent a spike in occurrences, since more people are reporting being sick because of the increased attention given to the cruise ship cases.

The 855 foot Fascination carried 2,428 passengers and more than 900 crew members on its three day mini-cruise to the Bahamas.

The Norwalk virus, named after an outbreak 30 years ago in Norwalk, Ohio, is spread through food and water and close contact with infected people or things they have touched. The incubation period is about two to three days.