Kamloops restaurant, Dorian Greek House, the source of norovirus outbreak that sickened dozens of hospital employees
Last week, dozens of staff illnesses were reported at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops after a Christmas lunch, that in the end sickened at least 36 operating room staff, causing 26 surgeries to be postponed last Thursday and Friday.
Surgeries have since been resumed.
Norovirus
Image/CDC
Now Interior Health Authority officials say they have traced the source of the outbreak to a downtown Kamloops restaurant.
Medical Health Officer Dr. Rob Parker says the staff became sick after attending a party catered by Dorian Greek House. In addition to the dozens of hospital workers, restaurant owner Dianne Docolous also says seven of her staff have contracted the virus.
Health officials say the restaurant has been temporarily closed for cleaning and sanitizing and will reopen after it receives permission from the health authority.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), norovirus is a very contagiousvirus. You can get norovirus from an infectedperson, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acutegastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.
Anyone can be infected with norovirus and get sick. Also, you can have norovirus illness many times in your life. Norovirus illness can be serious, especially for young children and older adults.
Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. Each year, it causes about 21 million illnesses and contributes to about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths. Norovirus is also the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States.
Although norovirus goes by many nicknames, ”food poisoning” or “stomach flu” for example, Norovirus illness is not related to the flu (influenza), which is a respiratory illness caused by influenza virus.
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