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'Sick' cruise ship leaves Greece

A Greek coast guard vessel patrols the area around the ship Friday.
A Greek coast guard vessel patrols the area around the ship Friday.

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PIRAEUS, Greece (Reuters) -- The British cruise ship Aurora carrying hundreds of British tourists hit by a stomach bug left the Greek port of Piraeus on Friday after doctors treated the passengers and loaded medical supplies.

The Aurora had earlier on Friday anchored off Piraeus and Greek officials effectively quarantined the vessel allowing no passengers or crew to leave.

"Four hundred and thirty people on board the Aurora are having severe stomach problems," a Merchant Marine Ministry spokeswoman said.

Aurora's owners, P&O Cruises, said the bug was not serious.

Greek officials said the ship was carrying 1,900 tourists and 837 crew, and a P&O spokeswoman said: "As far as I am aware all the passengers are British."

The ship, which left Southampton on October 20 on a 17-day round trip, was scheduled to continue its voyage to Gibraltar.

There was no sign of passengers on the decks during the ship's brief stay in Piraeus as doctors carrying medical supplies went on board through a side hatch.

Several coast guard launches surrounded the Aurora to ensure no other ships approached it.

"It has been decided after consulting the company managing the ship that the vessel will take in supplies and then leave.

The passengers will not get off the ship," a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The P&O spokeswoman told Reuters in London the infection, identified by Greek officials as the Norwalk virus, was believed to have been brought on board by a passenger at Southampton.

"The symptoms are diarrhoea and vomiting. They last just 24 hours and there is a complete recovery," the spokeswoman said, adding not all 430 people had been affected at the same time.

"This has been over a 10-day period," she said.

"We are undertaking extensive sanitation programs to control the spread of this and we are asking our passengers ... to wash their hands after leaving the bathroom -- normal hygiene measures."

Merchant Marine Minister Giorgos Paschalidis told reporters the ship had docked at Spanish, Italian and Croatian ports before heading for Piraeus, near Athens.



Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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