Norovirus is culprit in cruise-ship illnesses

MIAMI (AP) — More than 380 passengers and crew aboard the world's largest cruise ship were sickened by a virus during a seven-day Caribbean cruise, cruise officials said Sunday.

Norovirus sickened 338 passengers and 46 crew members about the Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, and they were treated with over-the-counter medication, the Miami-based company said.

The ship, which had roughly 3,800 passengers and 1,300 crew members, returned Sunday as scheduled to the Port of Miami. Crew members sanitized frequently touched surfaces such as railings, door handles and elevator buttons after the short-lived outbreak began, officials said.