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Norovirus traces discovered after 118 contract food poisoning at Nikko hotel

7 Comments

Tochigi prefectural health officials announced Monday that 118 guests suffered food poisoning at a hotel in Nikko City earlier this month and that traces of food-borne Norovirus strains had been detected.

According to authorities, the Kinugawa Gyoen Hotel received complaints of gastrointestinal distress from male and female guests ranging in age from two to 80 between Dec 18 and Dec 22. TBS quoted a hotel spokesperson as saying symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea. Among the 118, eight guests and 11 chefs and kitchen staff were discovered to have the Norovirus strain in their systems.

Health officials said no one had to be hospitalized.

According to a hotel spokesperson, the 118 afflicted guests had eaten inside the hotel restaurant, dining on a variety of menu items, ranging from sashimi dishes to hot Japanese-style curries.

TBS quoted a prefectural health official as saying that the hotel is suspected of violating food hygiene laws, and was ordered to cease activity in its restaurant and kitchen. The hotel has remained closed since Dec 26.

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7 Comments
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No hot water in the bathrooms probably.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

These cases are so depressingly common in Japan that I no longer bat an eyelid. A doctor told me that he avoids hotel food, especially banquets and bufffets, because so many cases of food poisoning seem to originate in hotel kitchens. I'm pretty sure there was hot water available for the staff, though. High grade hotels usually do have hot water in all the rest room faucets. Poor hygiene standards?

1 ( +3 / -1 )

Norovirus illness is a highly contagious virus often called by other names like stomach flu. Many different types of norovirus exist, so you can get infected and sick many times in your life. It spreads in many ways very easily and quickly. Unfortunately there is no vaccine to prevent norovirus infection and no drug to treat it. All you can do is to drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid loss and prevent dehydration.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Tessa, I was curious about whether it is only Japan that seem to have a lot of cases so I did a quick search. Many cases turned up in the States too within the last week. Mostly nursing homes and hospitals. So, it's not just Japan.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@FizzBit: be that as it may, I rarely hear USans proudly declaring the safety and cleanliness of their food preparation the way that Japanese people (at least, the ones I deal with) do on a daily basis.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wouldn't know that Tess. But I do know my wife came down with it a few years back from eating the delivery Bentos at work.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I wish more Japanese would use soap when washing their hands. I was amazed while I visited Japan that most often, their is no soap in public washrooms.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

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