Di Nolfo's Banquet Inn and Catering source of 57 Norovirus Cases
According to press reports, at least four people were hospitalized and 53 others reported illnesses after attending wedding parties this month at a banquet hall in south suburban Mokena, leading Will County health officials to try to determine the cause. The Health Department is looking for others who may have gotten sick after attending weddings at Di Nolfo's Banquet Inn and Catering on July 16 and 17.
Health officials believe the source of the illness is a Norovirus, a highly infectious family of viruses responsible for the majority of non-bacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks reported worldwide. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headaches, and chills. Health officials collected and tested food from Di Nolfo's, 9425 W. 191st Street, but did not find any significant violations. None of Di Nolfo's employees have reported illnesses, officials said.
"Outbreaks like this one underscore the importance of frequent and thorough hand washing," the health department's Alpesh Patel said in a released statement. "One person with soiled hands can quickly transmit Norovirus to lots of people through contaminated surfaces or food."

An outbreak of norovirus has shut down three oyster beds in Louisiana -- the largest oyster harvest shutdown in the state in a decade. Despite the shutdown, state health officials still aren't sure if oysters are a problem. The sickness isn't fatal in most circumstances, but it will make you extremely uncomfortable.
Recently, officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that
The Dispatch says "public-health workers investigating the situation hadn't nailed down late today where or how the athletes picked up the bug," but they did pick up one common thread; The coach and all of the sickened athletes arrived in Columbus via an American Airlines flight from Dallas/Fort Worth.
The Celebrity Mercury returned to the Port of Charleston early Thursday to disembark guests.
Another food recall is in effect for parts of Oregon. Oregon Oyster Farms Incorporated is recalling oyster meat and oysters in the shell from Yaquina Bay at Newport. The recall involves one-half pint containers, pint containers, half gallon containers, and four-gallon buckets including all large, medium, small, extra-small, and petite Pacific oysters, Kumamoto oysters, and Yaquina native oysters. All shucked product product containers with sell or use by dates of February 15th through March 11th are included. The Oregon Department of Health says the recall is due to potential norovirus contamination.
The Wake County Environmental Services has confirmed that four out of the 150 people who became ill while attending the YMCA Youth and Government conference at the Sheraton Hotel over the weekend had the
The closure of some oyster harvesting grounds in southwest Louisiana this week highlights how pollution can impact the state’s fishing industry. The state Department of Health and Hospitals halted oyster harvesting in lower Calcasieu Lake on Thursday on the suspicion that oysters from the area might have been linked to a norovirus outbreak in North Carolina.
Consumers who bought San Antonio Bay-harvested oysters on or after November 16 should throw them away, the Food and Drug Administration announced. The agency also advised restaurant managers and grocers not to serve or sell the Texas oysters.
Noroviruses are part of a group of viruses understood to be the most common cause of stomach upset. They cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and people may also have a fever and head and muscle pains. Although an individual’s symptoms may pass in one or two days, the disease is highly contagious and remains in the faeces for several weeks afterwards.
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The investigation was conducted by the HPA and Environmental Health Officers from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Berkshire East Primary Care Trust was also involved. The final report has been delayed due to the swine flu pandemic which required priority response from the Health Protection Agency.
The Emeritus Pavilion--a multi-story facility for both independent and assisted living—however still finds itself in the middle of a mini quarantine with visitors being turned away with as many as ten residents are recovering from gastrointestinal problems including vomiting and diarrhea.
If there is a more dirty, dangerous job than forest fire fighting, we'd like to hear about it. Earlier this month north of Reno along the edge of the Sierra Nevada wild fires required the help of about 600 forest fire fighters.
Whenever you are wishing you are on vacation you can usually pick up the newspaper and find reasons to be glad you are at work. Just thinking about being on board the 400-passenger Marco Polo with 150 sick and one dead due to norovirus or checking into Reno's famous Peppermill Resort and Casino to find a wedding party there has norovirus are enough to make you glad your are not there.
Residents of a California senior housing complex canceled group meals and activities to combat a suspected outbreak of
It is the cool season down under. New Zealand is experiencing temperatures in the 50's this time of year.
Twenty-three people who arrived on the Rocky Mountaineer train from Calgary to Vancouver were quarantined in their rooms at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler yesterday with Norovirus symptoms.
We are certain we could greatly up the number of hits on this blog if we re-named it "Swine Flu Rumors," but that would be wrong.
Going into last weekend, California's Yolo County Health Department went public with the news that the city of Davis is experiencing an outbreak of norovirus with 70 already ill. We cannot say whether Yolo County got the word out early or late Friday, but we suspect late because it really did not show up in the news until this morning. According to Yolo County:
Ingham County Health Department Medical Director Dean Sienko said the department had a hunch it was norovirus, and started their control measures ahead of the lab results, which he said gives them the advantage over the virus.
Babson College is calling students back to classes after a norovirus outbreak that made dozens of students ill at the Wellesley campus during the last week.
The Norovirus season is not giving up just yet.
The MS Oosterdam is back at sea today sailing its way toward the Mexican Riviera after docking yesterday in San Diego with a boatload of passengers sick with norovirus.
State health officials worked with each of the facilities to ensure proper infection control procedures were followed. Since January, eight Massachusetts food-handling facilities and three schools or day cares have also been stricken by outbreaks of gastrointestinal sickness, according to figures from the DPH.
"The winter of 2008-2009 may be recorded as one of the worst Norovirus virus seasons in Olmsted County in 25 years," the county's Web site says.
Maine is one of the places we'd think you could go to escape from a norovirus outbreak. Today, however, the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention announced the state was dealing with two outbreak concerns. It warned about the national Salmonella outbreak AND it announced the state is in the middle of its own Norovirus outbreak.
According to the Ann Arbor News, a new business school cafeteria was cleaned and sanitized after seven food service workers and eight people who ate there reported becoming sick.
Norovirus is likely what's making people sick at an adult retirement home in Eaton County.
Officials say there were 518 reported cases among students, faculty and staff since November 6th. The outbreak has since subsided with no new cases.
with symptoms of the nasty flu that has been knocking down people like bowling pins. The small liberal arts college is now unlikely to open before Wednesday, according to the college...
symptoms that are consistent with a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus. Symptoms are similar to those of a norovirus, which medical officials suspect, but are awaiting confirmation based on lab results. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea.
forced officials to shut it down.
As of 4:00 p.m. Friday a total of 192 patients have sought medical treatment for symptoms related to norovirus. While the vast majority of these individuals remain undergraduate students, for the first time today we became aware of that 2 employees who had been helping respond to students became ill.
preliminary investigation found a norovirus to be the cause of campus illness, that led to 1 to 2 days of vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Grant says the initial findings won't be confirmed until test results are returned from the county health department in two to three weeks.
Inmates at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville aren't getting any visitors this weekend. The state health department found evidence of a norovirus at the facility.
There's nothing like a good Norovirus outbreak to ruin a summer vacation. That's what they are finding out this weekend at the Windmill Run Marina on Oklahoma's popular Grand Lake.
The case began with two girls who came to camp in recent days who reported feeling a little sick. Counselors thought the girls had car sickness but then their whole cabin became ill, with symptoms including vomiting, cramping, diarrhea and a low-grade fever.
investigating whether there was norovirus in the samples taken from the city's water system.
You have to love Norovirus. It goes from Five Star Hotels to fancy venues like San Francisco's Moscone Center before it lands on the simple Salem Mission, Oregon's Capital City's 34-bed homeless center on Mission Street.
The source of the virus has not yet been identified, but generally the norovirus is passed when an infected person spreads microbes either by preparing food or sharing plates or utensils, said Jim Soos, assistant director of policy and planning at the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
State health officials at the Ohio Department of Health laboratory confirmed that the food borne illness associated with Chipotle in Kent, Ohio was Norovirus Genotype G2.
City, county and state health officials said they suspect the Norwalk virus is to blame for making hundreds of people sick after they ate at a Chipotle restaurant in Kent.
Denver Health Department officials say the students were afflicted with the Norovirus, a group of viruses that cause the stomach flu and can be spread by direct contact with contaminated surfaces, people, food or other objects. They say coughing and sneezing do not spread the virus.
Four confirmed cases of people infected with the Norovirus have been reported in Polson. Officials with the Lake County Health Department say Norovirus has been around the state for years, but it settles in different communities at different times.
women were treated by UConn's infirmary after dining at the nearby Adams Mill Restaurant. Norovirus is suspected.
Great Escape to the illnesses of nearly 200 people and more than 300 have called the department's hotline to report symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting after visiting the resort, or to get information.
We may have found the one place in North America that's suffered from more norovirus outbreaks this winter than anywhere else. The prize, we think, goes to Peterborough, Ontario.
The Center won't be letting anyone else into the psych unit until health workers can control a contagious gastrointestinal virus that sickened people there. Alegent Health, which operates Immanuel, is trying to figure out how the virus got into the Center. They acknowledge closing the psych unit to outsiders will make it difficult for some in the community get the the psychiatric treatment they need.
One of the nation's top rehabilitation hospitals has a stomach bug, officials at Craig Hospital in Englewood said tonight.
The Washington State towns of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee are the latest places to be experiencing norovirus outbreaks.
Those atttending the Jan. 24th Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner were not so lucky. Many did not get to go home, they instead went to the hospital, suffering from norovirus. The pretigious Sofitel Hotel, site of the dinner, made 62 of more than 200 attending the event sick.
officials said it is most likely norovirus, the so-called "cruise ship virus."
Oregon State University. The victims are found at the Regency Park Place Retirement Home, the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and the Delta Gamma Sorority, according to local press reports.
BUPA quotes the Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Professor Steve Field , as saying: "The number of norovirus cases this year is the highest in five years. Hospitals have been inundated by referrals and through casualty. Local GPs are also seeing a huge number of cases."
abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, should stay at home for two days after the symptoms have gone away.
Haute Vallée head teacher Bob Fairhurst said that the school had taken advice from health experts and was insisting that staff did not come back until at least 48 hours after their symptoms stopped to prevent the illness from spreading.
Indeed, Celebrity spokesman Michael Sheehan has confirmed the outbreak, albeit with slightly lower numbers. From Celebrity's report: "Over the course of the sailing, 176 of the ship's 2,242 guests [8 percent] and 22 of its 957 crew members [2 percent] experienced the illness, thought to be a Norovirus brought onboard by a guest previously exposed to it. Those affected by the short-lived illness responded well to over-the-counter medication administered onboard the ship."
SALEM -- The number of Oregon State Hospital patients and staff sick with a gastrointestinal illness totaled 170 Tuesday. But officials said they think they are beginning to win the battle against the highly contagious norovirus. 

As of July 16, 14 children and 14 adults had been affected, Walls said, adding that she expected that number to grow since the organisms are spread by hand contact.
PIPERSVILLE, Pa. -- A Boy Scout camp in Pipersville sent all its campers home early Thursday after a possible norovirus outbreak, officials said. The camp was shut down for disinfection and will not receive new campers until Sunday, at the earliest. 
EGG HARBOR — The Log Den is expected to reopen today after more than 100 people reported becoming ill after dining there during the last week of May, according to the Door County Public Health Department.
Owner Tony Parker said he was told that symptoms were possibly caused by the Norwalk Virus, but that has not yet been confirmed by the health department. CCHD officials are waiting for lab reports to determine the cause of the illness.
About 15 to 20 residents at Ridgewood Manor have experienced the symptoms over the course of about a week, according to different estimates from the nursing home and the Beaufort County Health Department.
VIRGINIA BEACH -- More than 20 people have contracted the
Cleaning crews spent all night scrubbing the walls and surfaces of the building. Officials say between 70-80 students all showed the same symptoms this week - stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. The Health Department said the symptoms are similar to a norovirus, but a spokeswoman said they're not ready to say that's what it is until they finish the investigation.
Nearly a quarter of Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary School students in Sammamish were home sick on Tuesday, and county health officials suspect it could be a
Lansing - An outbreak involves two or more unassociated individuals who became sick after dining at the same facility, said Sandy Enness, director of communications for Michigan State University’s National Food Safety and Toxicology Center.
Michigan - The school is being cleaned because of one confirmed case of the
Williamsburg - Peninsula Health District officials are investigating whether food poisoning or something else is responsible for making two rock bands and local crew members sick after appearing at the College of William and Mary Saturday night.
Findings by the Butler County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) led to the AMS .gif)
TAMPA - Nearly 100 sick cruise ship passengers are back home today.
Noroviruses appear to be responsible for outbreaks that sickened at least 30 passengers and seven crew members on two March cruise sailings from Portland, a federal official said Wednesday.
Sheridan, Oregon - A possible norovirus outbreak is making several people sick in Sheridan.
Local and state health authorities are, according to this story, investigating a suspected outbreak of foodborne illness at the Barton Creek Resort & Club over the weekend.
Arlington, VA - An assisted living facility in Arlington County is under investigation by state and county health officials after a highly contagious norovirus outbreak that sickened 61 percent of the home's 140 residents last month before it was brought under control.
Burlington, NC -- Students and staff at a local elementary school were out sick on Wednesday, and health officials say a serious stomach virus may be the reason.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Two hospitals are asking people to stay away until they can control an outbreak of the highly contagious
The county Health Department says at least one person attending a county meeting last week has tested positive for Norovirus. Results from other persons who took ill are expected later this week.
A record outbreak of
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The storied Queen Elizabeth 2 has a new distinction its owners would prefer not to have after it become the first cruise ship in 2007 to suffer a serious outbreak of norovirus illness, according to the
San Quentin State Prison officials are taking precautions today after a rash of possible norovirus cases broke out among inmates and employees.
Two women are filing suit against an Indianapolis Olive Garden restaurant, claiming they were among the hundreds of people who became ill after eating there last week.
INDIANAPOLIS - A norovirus may have caused hundreds of people to
Marion County Health Department spokesman John Althardt told CNN in a telephone interview that tests on three employees and one customer were positive for norovirus, which typically occurs in places such as cruise ships and restaurants where people are eating food prepared by others.
WHEELING, W.Va. -- Just days after the norovirus struck Peterson Rehabilitation and Geriatric Center, many patients at Wheeling Hospital's continuous care have also fallen ill with similar symptoms.
GOLDEN VALLEY - Officials with the Mohave County Department of Public Health learned Wednesday that norovirus probably was responsible for an illness that struck Black Mountain School on Nov. 15.
The University of St. Thomas Student Health Service reports many students with suspected norovirus infections.
Freedom of the Seas, and they were treated with over-the-counter medication, the Miami-based company said.
Norovirus is being blamed for an outbreak that sickened 32 restaurant customers and workers at a West Saginaw Highway eatery.
Students and staff members at two Sonoma County schools have been infected by a fast-spreading gastrointestinal illness.Thirty-seven students and two staff members at Yulupa and Strawberry schools have come down with the symptoms of norovirus over the past week.
A thorough scrubbing of the Carnival Liberty began Sunday as the ship docked after a virus sickened nearly 700 passengers and crew members on a trans-Atlantic cruise.
About 100 health care workers at Methodist Hospital called in sick last week after suffering from intestinal illness and an upset stomach. Most were sick for two days.