Vomiting virus sweeps through QE2

by Actual News Geezer | January 25, 2007 at 06:36 am

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Ah the ruined expectations of some 300 passengers who boarded "the most famous" of all cruise ships for a "return to the golden era of travel," as the chichi advertisements declare.

More than 300 people are thought to have caught a highly infectious virus on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship.

The Norovirus, a vomiting and diarrhoea bug, is common in cruise ships, hospitals and prisons.

After the Southampton-based ship docked in San Francisco, US officials said 276 passengers and 28 crew were hit, although just six were still sick.

A Cunard spokesman said the virus had been largely eradicated after first flaring up on 8 January.

All those who caught the gastrointestinal virus will have suffered symptoms for a few days before recovering. There is usually no lasting damage.

Health officials said this was an unusually large outbreak, with 17% of those on the luxury ship affected.