Norovirus outbreak on Sun Princess cruise sickens at least 91 passengers

A norovirus outbreak sickened at least 91 passengers, Australian officials said. (Reuters)

The Sun Princess cruise ship that was traveling to the South Pacific had a norovirus outbreak that sickened at least 91 passengers, Australian officials said.

Health officials discovered the cause after the ship docked Thursday morning in Brisbane, Australia, according to the Courier Mail.

The outbreak was apparently discovered on the first day of the 10-day cruise to the South Pacific, a Princess Cruises spokesperson told Fox News.

"The first case was reported on day one of the previous cruise suggesting the illness was introduced to the ship during embarkation in Brisbane," Negin Kamali, a spokesperson for Princess Cruises told Fox News.

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Passengers experienced diarrhea, vomiting and other syndromes, according to ABC.net.au.

“We have been advised that on board testing has found norovirus to be the cause of the illness,” a Queensland’s Metro North Public Health Unit spokesperson told the BBC.

“Princess Cruises confirmed some passengers on board Sun Princess’ recent cruise to the South Pacific reported norovirus symptoms,” Negin Kamali, a spokesperson for Princess Cruises told Fox News.

“Consistent with current public health alerts that norovirus and influenza are widespread in the general community in Australia's eastern states, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, proactive and successful steps were taken on board Sun Princess to limit any spread of the illness.”

Princess Cruises said the ship underwent a “deep cleansing” before it traveled again.

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The Sun Princess experienced two other similar outbreaks in February. About 140 people were sickened by a norovirus outbreak on the ship two weeks after 90 other passengers became sickened on the same cruise while on their journey to Papua New Guinea.