Post by Taxigirl on Nov 4, 2003 9:43:12 GMT
The virus-hit cruise ship which prompted Spain to close its border with Gibraltar is heading back to Britain.
The Aurora, run by P&O Cruises, docked in Gibraltar after being turned away from other ports because more than 500 of its passengers had become ill.
The virus was thought to have been brought on board by one of the 1,800 passengers when the ship left Southampton on 20 October.
The ship was due back in Southampton on Thursday, ending its 17-day cruise.
A P&O Cruises spokeswoman said on Monday night just six passengers were still displaying symptoms of the bug.
However, more than 50 had been asked to stay on board by the Gibraltarian authorities while the ship was docked there for less than 24 hours.
Healthy passengers were allowed to disembark but had to leave their passports on board to prevent them crossing the border into Spain, even though the border was closed until after the ship left on Monday evening.
UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw condemned Spain for closing the border for 13 hours, saying the move was "unnecessary and disproportionate".
The Norwalk or Noro virus is highly contagious and causes nausea, chronic diarrhoea and vomiting for about two days.
Queues of lorries, cars and pedestrians built up on the Spanish side of the border, among them many of the thousands of Spanish workers who make the daily crossing to work in Gibraltar.
Chief Minister of Gibraltar Peter Caruana also described the border closure - the first in three decades - as "gross over-reaction" by Spain.
MAP SHOWING AURORA'S ROUTE
