Nearly 175 people aboard Alaska cruise fall ill

Friday, July 26, 2002

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Dozens of passengers aboard a Holland America week-long cruise to Alaska fell ill with what a cruise line spokesman says may be a common virus.

The Ryndam docked here Thursday after the Alaska voyage.

In all, 163 passengers and nine crew members were reported to be suffering flu-like symptoms.

Cruise ships must report an illness when more than 3 percent of passengers on board are affected, said Holland America spokesman Erik Elvejord. In this case, nearly 13 percent fell ill. A reported 1,266 people were on board.

The cruise line is awaiting lab test results to determine the culprit but Elvejord said Holland America thinks a virus similar to the Norwalk virus is to blame. He said cases of the Norwalk virus have been reportedly recently in Alaska.

The ship's crew has disinfected all rooms and common areas of the ship.

A Norwalk-type virus is believed to have sickened 100 of 170 campers at a Christian children's camp on British Columbia's coast northwest of here.

"These outbreaks are very common," said Jamal Harb of Health Canada. "Norwalk-like virus is on the increase here in B.C. and in Alberta. We're investigating but the reasons for that, I don't know."

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