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The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. cancelled the fall foliage cruise of its 520-passenger, paddle-wheel river boat after about 12 people became ill with symptoms of the Norwalk virus and sought medical help Friday at a Hannibal, Mo., hospital.
That followed a similar incident the weekend before when the boat was cruising from Cincinnati to St. Louis and about 35 passengers became ill and were treated in Henderson, Ky. The owners cancelled the last two days of that cruise.
The Mississippi Queen was scheduled to visit
La Crosse on Wednesday afternoon. News of the cancellation brought an end to a disappointing riverboat season.
Earlier in the year, the American Queen riverboat, owned by the same company, canceled its planned visits. It had been used for temporary housing of post-Hurricane Katrina workers and needed re-fitting.
The outbreak of illness last week on the upper Ohio River was serious enough that a Kentucky team from the Centers for Disease Control came went to St. Louis, where the boat was thoroughly cleaned.
The Mississippi Queen left St. Louis on Wednesday on its way to St. Paul, but it only got as far as Hannibal before passengers became ill. As the mostly elderly passengers were treated at Hannibal Regional Hospital, many businesses in town sanitized areas that visitors may have touched.
Health officials believe the gastrointestinal illness is a form of Norwalk virus, which causes nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. It is not transmitted through the air but is contagious by food, water or touch. Symptoms usually disappear in one or two days. Health departments in Kentucky, Missouri and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have assisted the CDC in the investigation.
In a statement, the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. said it was canceling the cruise early out of concern for its passengers’ safety, comfort and enjoyment.
Contact reporter David Krotz at dkrotz@winonadailynews.com or call (507) 453-3524.
