Norovirus Sickens 159 Aboard Cruise Ship Docked in Va.

159 passengers and crew members of the Balmoral have reported being sick

Passengers on a cruise ship docked in Virginia have been sickened with norovirus. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 159 passengers and crew members of the Balmoral have reported being sick. The ship, operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, left Britain on April 16 and docked Friday in Norfolk.

A company spokeswoman, Ruth Burton, said Olsen "has been undertaking extensive sanitation measures and cleaning of the ship, in accordance with its strict illness containment and prevention plan."

Conditions have improved and just seven of 1,400 people on board the ship are in isolation, according to Burton.

The CDC said it plans to have staff to evaluate the ship when it arrives in Baltimore on Saturday or Sunday. 

Norovirus can be transmitted from contaminated food or water or an infected person. The gastrointestinal illness typically lasts one to three days and can cause stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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