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KENSINGTON, Md. - What was supposed to be a pleasure trip turned into a medical emergency for some local tourists. Passengers on a cruise were quarantined in Alaska because of the norovirus.
Norovirus has hit one of the world's largest cruise liners again. Right now, several people are not allowed to leave their rooms for fear of spreading the virus. Those who are sick include one person from Maryland.
The trip was planned as a sister's getaway. Six relatives from Kensington, Md., boarded the Diamond Princess Cruise last week but when the group arrived in Skagway, Alaska, the trouble began.
"My aunt says she thought she was sea sick at first then it got worse," said Lindsay Lougo, daughter of two of the passengers on the ship.
Lougo says one of her aunts is so sick she's quarantined in her room. She says the captain also told them the highly contagious stomach illness norovirus is on board and people are cleaning the ship, hoping it will get better.
"She's immobile. The norovirus is not a fun virus to have. You want to be in your room, close to a restroom unfortunately," said Lougo.
The next day Lougo says, the group was told hundreds of people had norovirus. She says most people are being served food in their rooms to prevent others from getting sick at the buffet.
"I really hope my mom and dad don't get sick. I just want them to enjoy their vacation," she said.
Princess Cruises released a statement saying, "We have a small number of passengers with symptoms of norovirus -- nothing unusual or escalated."
They also say people who are sick have been asked to stay in their rooms. Last fall, sources say 400 British passengers were quarantined in China after norovirus spread aboard the Diamond Princess.
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