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Vancouver area restaurant, Billygan’s Roadhouse, closed due to possible norovirus

Clark County health officials closed a Salmon Creek restaurant Friday after nearly two dozen patron fell ill  after eating there, according to a koinlocal6.com report Friday.

Image/kgw.com video screen shot

Image/kgw.com video screen shot

Clark County public health officials say viral gastroenteritis, such as norovirus,  is suspected in the symptoms reported by 22 people who ate last weekend at Billygan’s Roadhouse. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The investigation is ongoing.

Officials say those affected with this illness typically recover within 24 hours.

The restaurant will be closed for at least 48 hours while all surfaces and equipment can be sanitized and potentially contaminated food discarded, said Don Strick with Clark County Public Health.

County Health Officer Dr. Diana Yu came to the decision to close the restaurant after consulting with the state Department of Health Food Safety Program. The health department said it is working with Billygan’s staff to sanitize the restaurant’s surfaces and equipment and dispose of possible contaminated food, according to the report.

“Restaurant management and staff are following all our recommendations,” Dr. Yu said

Last October, another Vancouver restaurant, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina was closed after a salmonella outbreak sickened more than 100 people.

Norovirus infection is a highly contagious viral illness. It is often called 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.

However, as in the above case, in addition to children, elderly people are especially vulnerable to the infection.

Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, 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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About the Author

- Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the website, Outbreak News Today and hosts the podcast, Outbreak News Interviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify Robert is politically Independent and a born again Christian Follow @bactiman63

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  1. Flu losing traction in Nanaimo | Affordable Medical Care says:

    […] Vancouver area restaurant, Billygan's Roadhouse, closed due to possible … Image/kgw.com video screen shot. Clark County public health officials say viral gastroenteritis, such as norovirus, is suspected in the symptoms reported by 22 people who ate last weekend at Billygan's Roadhouse. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting and … Read more on The Global Dispatch […]

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