Investigation of a Norovirus Gastroenteritis Cluster in a Hotel, Taoyuan, December 2019

Ching-Yuan Tseng^1*, Meng-Yu Chen², Chia-ping Su³, Wan-Chin Chen³, Kun-Bin Wu¹

2024 Vol.40 No.10

Correspondence Author： Ching-Yuan Tseng^1*

Abstract：

        On December 12, 2019, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control received a report from the Taipei City Department of Health of a suspected food poisoning cluster. The preliminary investigation revealed that several teachers and students visiting from two schools in Japan had symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort. The incident was likely related to a restaurant in Taoyuan. In order to clarify the cause and transmission route of the cluster, a descriptive analysis was carried out on the teachers and students of School A who went to the hospital for treatment. The information from School B was obtained through the Field Epidemiology Training Program of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan. Norovirus was detected in specimens from hotel staff and students of the two schools. The epidemic curve of the sick students from the two schools showed a single peak, indicating a food poisoning incident. It was speculated that the cluster might be associated with poor hand-washing and improper cleanliness in the kitchen staff's rest area, resulting in contamination of the meal or the environment. We recommended that restaurants strengthen staff education and training, implement strict hand hygiene, improve hand washing equipment in the rest area used by kitchen workers, and implement cleaning and disinfection of the working environment.

Keywords：Norovirus, food poisoning