Four tourists displaying Norwalk virus-like symptoms were isolated from their tour group last weekend while staying at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel.

The travellers were part of a Holland America on-land tour.

Rose Abello, a spokeswoman for the cruise company, said from Seattle the people were displaying signs of a gastro-intestinal illness.

'To ensure their comfort, they were asked to stay at the hotel, away from the rest of the tour,' Abello said in an interview.

She said there was no way to confirm if what the tourists had was actually the Norwalk virus as no tests were done.

Heather McIntyre, the manager of the Westmark Whitehorse, declined to comment.

The incident was not reported to the Yukon medical health officer, Dr. Bryce Larke.

He said in an interview his office is concerned about the norovirus when its source might be in the Yukon.

'But there has been nothing to suggest that,' said Larke, adding his office has a fairly good arrangement with the cruiseship companies to monitor viruses.

He said it's not uncommon for noroviruses to spread when people are living in closed quarters, like cruiseships.

'A lot of people on the ship touch the railings, the door knobs, the telephones, those sort of things,' said Larke, adding people should wash their hands to avoid getting the virus.

Buckwheat Donahue, Skagway's tourism director, said a person can tell when the cruiseships are concerned about the Norwalk virus as the tourists are given handwipes before boarding the ships.

The norovirus is also spread through food and water.

Tests for the Norwalk virus involve sending fecal matter to a laboratory, said Larke. 'And it usually takes about a week for cruiseships to get the tests back.'

He says the norovirus usually only affects people for a few days. Symptoms include vomitting and diarrhea.

Earlier this month, nearly 350 passengers and crew aboard a Princess Cruises ship in southeast Alaska fell ill with Norwalk-like symptoms.