A foodborne illness outbreak at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, Alaska has sickened almost 80 people, according to the Anchorage Daily News. State epidemiologists are investigating the outbreak that has sickened hospital employees. All patients developed symptoms on or around on the morning of August 7, 2021. Everyone who got sick ate food brought in … Read more
A norovirus vaccine may be possible in the future using newly discovered antibodies, according to research from a collaboration between the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Baylor College of Medicine. Norovirus is the number one cause of food poisoning in the United States, sickening about 20 million Americans every year, and causes 1.8 billion … Read more
A Milwaukee police food poisoning incident allegedly sickened eleven police officers at a retirement party. Several officers had to seek treatment at local hospitals. According to news reports, the food was apparently prepared privately and didn’t come from a restaurant and it was not catered. The officers work at Police District 5, which covers the … Read more
Minnesota norovirus outbreaks have been increasing “significantly,” in the past few weeks, according to a press release issued by the Minnesota Department of Health. Accordingly, officials are reminding restaurants and other food establishments that ill employees must not work, according to the Minnesota Food Code. Norovirus is a very contagious foodborne illness that causes vomiting and … Read more
An outbreak at Waterford Township School District in New Jersey has closed school buildings for two weeks, according to a letter by Superintendent Dr. Brenda Haring that was sent to parents on May 10, 2021. According to the letter, employees who attended a luncheon held on May 6, 2021 that was catered by an outside … Read more
Norovirus is the most common type of food poisoning, causing about 685,000,000 case worldwide every year. The virus is extremely contagious and is passed through contaminated food and drink, through contact with contaminated surfaces, and through person-to-person contact. Most people with this infection do not require medical care, but some people, especially those in high … Read more
A norovirus-like outbreak at the Brave Horse Tavern in Seattle, Washington has sickened at least 43 people, according to an update by Seattle-King County Health Department. That restaurant is located at 310 Terry Avenue North in Seattle. Meal dates for those sickened were November 23 and November 24, 2019. Prior food safety inspections found areas … Read more
Cornerstone Frozen Blackberries are being recalled for possible norovirus contamination. The FDA started testing frozen berries for norovirus and hepatitis A in May 2019 after several outbreaks linked to those products sickened hundreds. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall. The recalled product is Cornerstone Frozen Blackberries packaged in 16 … Read more
Pita Hot, a restaurant in Fullerton, California, has been closed twice by the Orange County Health Agency in the last few weeks because of a suspected food poisoning outbreak. All information about this outbreak has been contained in restaurant inspection reports. The inspection report specifically names norovirus, but there is no information about whether or … Read more
Alma Pak of Alma, Georgia is recalling some lots of products containing frozen blackberries because they may be contaminated with norovirus. FDA testing of the blackberries was positive for the virus. The FDA initiated a berry testing program earlier this year. The recalled products are 16 ounce packages of Great Value Frozen Blackberries sold at … Read more