['all know that I'm usually slow to jump to conclusions, but this is a bit too much of a coincidence, isn't it? Is someone doing a test run with a fairly innocuous virus to be replaced by a lethal one when there are lots of winter cruises going on?]]

Passengers on Disney cruise ship fall ill with Norwalk virus

The Associated Press Posted November 26, 2002, 8:13 AM EST

PORT CANAVERAL -- Although the Disney cruise ship Magic was scrubbed by an army of 1,100 workers before departing on its latest sail, at least 25 passengers on that trip have contracted a flu-like illness, officials said.

About 275 people developed the Norwalk-like virus on the Magic's last seven-day trip, which ended Saturday. The cause of the illnesses has not been determined, Disney Cruise Line spokesman Mark Jaronski said. ``We're focused on taking care of the guests,'' Jaronski said Monday.

There are about 2,400 passengers and 950 crew members aboard the current Magic cruise on the Caribbean, Jaronski said.

A Norwalk-like virus is suspected of sickening more than 500 passengers and crew aboard the Holland America Line cruise ship Amsterdam the past few weeks. Last week Holland America canceled 10-day cruise out of Port Everglades to allow time for a thorough decontamination of the Amsterdam.

Another Holland America ship, the Statendam, returned to the Port of San Diego following a Mexican cruise Monday. About 10 passengers contracted a Norwalk-like virus on that trip, officials said, and 40 others had fallen ill on the Statendam's last sail from the California port.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2002