Suspected norovirus outbreak linked to Wild Chef Japanese Steakhouse Grill and Bar, more than 100 sickened
The increase of gastrointestinal illness in Ottawa County, Michigan has been linked to a Holland Township Japanese steakhouse, according to health officials today.
To date, Ottawa County health officials have identified more than 100 gastrointestinal illness cases related to dining at Wild Chef Japanese Steakhouse Grill and Bar.
The restaurant voluntarily closed Tuesday after being notified that a number of dining customers had reported gastrointestinal illnesses to the health department. Health officials say the ownership is cooperating with the health inspection and investigation.
The Health department says if you or anyone you know has dined at Wild Chef between Thursday, March 27 and Tuesday, April 1, regardless of experiencing symptoms or not, please take a moment to complete the Ottawa County Department of Public Health (OCDPH) online questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.com/s/wildchef to help aid the investigation.
Although laboratory testing is pending as to what the etiology of the outbreak is, symptoms represented include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping and low-grade fever, resembling norovirus.
The Kent County Health Department investigating complaints of illness among diners at the Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids said Wednesday, April 2, that three cases tested positive for norovirus.
Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that often goes by other names, such as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning.
The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. In most people, the illness is self-limiting with symptoms lasting for about 1 or 2 days. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults do.
Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food andwater, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.
Norovirus causes more than 20 million illnesses annually, and it is the leading cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in the United States.
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