Over 500 Sick In Local Norovirus Outbreak

UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA - The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Thursday released its final update on the massive norovirus outbreak in Pierce County linked to two restaurants. A total of 542 got sick, with 520 of those cases linked to the Tacoma El Toro restaurant.

The other 22 were sickened at the University Place restaurant, but the department has not had lab confirmation that those cases were norovirus. Norovirus is a nasty gastrointestinal bug that is extremely common during winter months.

The department said in a blog post that the large number of cases was likely due to secondary infections.

"This a large number of cases for us, but we know cases of norovirus typically go unreported. And likely, the high number reflects secondary cases—people who became ill from eating at the restaurant, then went home and infected family members. It’s highly contagious. People will get norovirus an average of five times in their lives and not necessarily realize what it is—and they will probably not report it to the health department."

Both the Tacoma and University Place El Toro restaurants were closed briefly while they were cleaned.

Meanwhile, a woman who ate at the Tacoma El Toro on Jan. 2 and became sick the next day has filed a lawsuit against the local chain.

Image courtesy CDC