-
ASSOCIATED PRESS / January 27, 2010
Hawaii health officials announced today that a mysterious gastrointestinal illness that sickened more than 150 people on the Hawaii-bound Queen Victoria cruise ship appears to be contained. Here, the Queen Victoria is seen entering San Francisco's Pier 35 in 2010.
A mysterious gastrointestinal illness that sickened more than 150 people on a Hawaii-bound cruise ship appears to be under control, Hawaii Department of Health officials announced today.
The department will continue to closely monitor the outbreak on the Queen Victoria, which is scheduled to enter Honolulu on Monday, but does not believe the ship's arrival poses a threat to the people of Hawaii, health officials said in a news release. .
They said they would coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is monitoring the situation on board the ship.
The disease struck Queen Victoria during a trip between Florida and San Francisco from January 22nd to February 6th. As of Thursday, 129 passengers and 25 crew members had become ill, according to the CDC.
But after the ship arrived in San Francisco, ramped up disinfection of surfaces and isolated sick passengers and crew, the number of infections dropped significantly.
The cause of the illness has not been confirmed, but officials said the symptoms and spread appear similar to norovirus.
Click here for our complete coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. Submit a coronavirus news tip.
