More than 200 people sickened onboard Ovation of Seas cruise

More than 200 people became sick and five were hospitalized in Australia after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness aboard a cruise ship earlier this month.

Symptoms were reported by 209 guests among the 5,796 people aboard Ovation of the Seas ship, according to Royal Caribbean International cruise line spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez. The ship returned to Sydney Dec. 7.

She says sanitation experts were flown in to perform “enhanced sanitary procedures” to supplement routine cleaning protocols and “minimize the risk of a recurrence.”

Martinez says she had no details on the type of gastrointestinal disease.

Australia’s Health Department in Tasmania says five passengers required treatment at Royal Hobart Hospital. Dr. Mark Veitch, director of public health, said in a statement that these types of outbreaks are “not uncommon” in big ships.

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