Sickened Passengers On Norwegian Cruise Ship Hospitalized In LA

SAN PEDRO, CA — Four passengers aboard a Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Joy cruise ship had to be hospitalized in Los Angeles after falling ill aboard the ship Sunday. In all, six passengers fell ill as the ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles.

Paramedics evaluated the six passengers in the Port of Los Angeles and determined that four of them required hospital treatment, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Authorities did not specify the nature of the illness, but Fox News is reporting that an outbreak of Norovirus struck the passengers. The cruise began in Florida, and was set to last 16 days. Photos posted to twitter from the scene showed staff separating the ill patients from the rest of the travelers.

The passengers sought medical assessment for an unspecified and apparently non-life-threatening illness upon disembarking the cruise ship, Humphrey said.

Paramedics were dispatched at 9:17 a.m. to the vessel docked at Berth 91, he said. The genders and ages of the ill passengers were not immediately known.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines told Fox News, ""The safety, security and well-being of our guests and crew is our number one priority. As such, we operate at the very highest public health standards. During Norwegian Joy’s Panama Canal sailing, a few guests onboard experienced a stomach-related illness. To mitigate any impact of this rare occurrence, we implemented stringent sanitation procedures. As always, we will continue to monitor this situation."

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.