SAN FRANCISCO--Officials say the number of passengers believed to be sick with the highly contagious norovirus has nearly doubled aboard a cruise ship sailing to ports in California.

Princess Cruises spokeswoman Karen Candy said Wednesday that 66 passengers and 17 crew members were sick and had to be isolated to their cabins aboard the Crown Princess. That's up from about 37 passengers who reported being sick while the ship was in San Francisco on Monday.

Officials believe norovirus is to blame for the illnesses. It is spread person-to-person and can include nausea and diarrhea.

Candy says the ship's staff has disinfected door handles and other surfaces.

The Crown Princess is on a seven-day cruise that includes stops in San Diego and Santa Barbara. It ends in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Carnival (NYSE:CCL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Carnival Charts.
Carnival (NYSE:CCL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Carnival Charts.