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NEW YORK, March 26 (Reuters) - Several passengers who fell ill aboard a Continental Airlines <CAL.N> plane from Hong Kong that landed at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Monday have been diagnosed with seasonal influenza, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

"It was determined that their symptoms were consistent with seasonal flu and not something more serious," CDC spokeswoman Karen Hunter said.

The illness appeared to begin with seven passengers, part of a group of 80 tourists who went on a river cruise in Asia, then spread to other passengers who exhibited flu-like symptoms including chills and vomiting, Hunter said.

Passengers were held on the plane in Newark until emergency crews cleared them for release, Hunter said.

The flight, Continental Flight 98, left Hong Kong on Monday with 272 passengers on board.

The final destination for the tour group was Montreal.

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