Norovirus associated with Mama Stortini's Restaurant & Bar in Northgate

Norovirus
Image courtesy CDC

Public Health is investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea associated with Mama Stortini's Restaurant and Bar in Northgate.

From December 11–12, 2017, Public Health learned of 15 people from five different meal parties that became ill after consuming food and beverage from the restaurant on December 5 or December 6.

As part of the Public Health investigation, Environmental Health investigators visited and closed the restaurant on December 12. During the field inspection, investigators identified 14 employees who experienced similar symptoms the last two weeks.

We do not have laboratory confirmation of the pathogen responsible for the illness, but symptoms are suggestive of norovirus.

Often in norovirus outbreaks, no laboratory testing is done. The exact food or drink item that caused the illness has not been identified, though this is not uncommon for norovirus outbreaks where multiple food items may be contaminated.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that frequently spreads person-to-person and is often associated with food. Norovirus illness often has a sudden onset of nausea and vomiting and/or watery diarrhea with cramps. A low-grade fever, chills, and body aches sometimes occur.

Norovirus rarely causes severe complications. Dehydration is the most common complication, particularly among young children and the elderly. No vaccine is available for norovirus.

The restaurant is working cooperatively with Public Health; they closed on December 12 to allow time to complete a thorough cleaning and sanitizing of the restaurant.

Environmental Health investigators plan to revisit the restaurant before re-opening to ensure employees are maintaining a high level of hand hygiene and that proper cleaning and sanitizing of the restaurant was completed.