THE mystery illness which hit troops serving in Afghanistan, including Army medics from York, was today revealed to be the same bug which struck guests at two North Yorkshire hotels.
The Ministry of Defence said tests on victims flown back to the UK for treatment had shown the illness, which affected personnel at Bagram airfield, was "almost certainly" winter vomiting virus.
The virus, which first hit 18 members of 34 Field Hospital, which has its UK base at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall, is also known as Norwalk-like virus (NLV).
A dozen guests at the Royal Hotel, Scarborough, were struck down by the sickness and diarrhoea bug last week following an outbreak which affected 200 staff and guests at the town's Grand Hotel.
The MoD said today that 13 personnel, receiving treatment either at Bagram or in the UK and Germany following evacuation, were continuing to improve.
Updated: 11:32 Monday, May 20, 2002
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