Officials with Public Health – Seattle & King County are investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis with vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea associated with Subway restaurant located in Normandy Park.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

Last week, health officials learned of eight people from two separate groups who became ill after eating food from the restaurant on October 22, 2017.

While laboratory confirmation is not available, symptoms are suggestive of norovirus. Often in norovirus outbreaks, no laboratory testing is done. The exact food item that caused the illness has not yet been identified, though this is not uncommon for norovirus outbreaks where multiple food items may be contaminated.

The restaurant management is working cooperatively with Public Health and has thoroughly cleaned and sanitized the restaurant.

Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that often goes 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.

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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.

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