More than 240 sickened in norovirus outbreak traced to North Carolina sushi restaurant

A norovirus outbreak linked to a North Carolina sushi restaurant has sickened at least 241 people since late last month, local health authorities said Thursday.

Before falling ill, all the victims had visited Sushi Nine in Raleigh between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, according to Wake County’s public health and environmental services departments.

“Unfortunately, norovirus can spread very easily, especially during the winter months when people come together for holiday gatherings and parties which include a lot of meal prep and catering,” Wake County Public Health Director Rebecca Kaufman said in a statement.

Norovirus commonly causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, which are sometimes accompanied by dehydration or fever. The illness is often referred to colloquially as “food poisoning” or “stomach flu.”

The virus is highly contagious and spreads via tainted seafood, surfaces, water and unwashed hands, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Just a few norovirus particles can make someone ill, and infected people can shed billions of them — sometimes for days or weeks after they’re feeling better. The particles can linger on surfaces for two weeks or longer without proper cleaning.

Sushi Nine voluntarily closed for deep cleaning on Dec. 5 and reopened on Dec. 8 with no new cases arising, officials said.

The restaurant’s Facebook page advertised its cheesecake on Thursday and various hand rolls on Wednesday, signaling that it has been open for business this week.

“We continue to work closely with customers who visited Sushi Nine, restaurant staff and our partners with NCDHHS to determine the source and extent of the outbreak,” Kaufman said.

Calls to the publicly listed phone number for Sushi Nine, which is short walk from the campus of North Carolina State University, did not go through on Friday. The restaurant owners did not immediately return telephone and email messages seeking their comments.

Norovirus is the most common type of foodborne illness in the United States, causing about 58% of such cases — an estimated 20 million illnesses per year. Most outbreaks occur between November and April.