Over 150 passengers have reportedly been struck by Norovirus onboard the Diamond Princess.

According to Channel 9, 158 sick passengers that had been taken ill.

A spokerperson from Princess Cruises said, “Diamond Princess returned to Sydney this morning from a 12-day cruise to New Zealand with more than 2,800 passengers on board. In the closing few days of the cruise a small proportion of the total number of passengers on board reported gastro intestinal symptoms confirmed as being due to the common stomach bug Norovirus.

“On the final full day of the cruise around 35 passengers were symptomatic. Increased sanitation levels on the ship were effective in containing the illness. As a further step the ship and terminal are today the subject of enhanced cleaning measures. Passengers joining the ship today have been advised of a short delay in embarkation arrangements.”

In December, there were three incidents of gastro onboard cruise ships.

Fifty people onboard P&O’s Pacific Eden were taken ill with norovirus.

A total of 182 people onboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas were also struck down by a stomach bug in December.

And during the same month, 200 passengers were confined to their cabins, also on the Dawn Princess after it left for Melbourne, bound for New Zealand’s South Island.