Noroviruses are the leading cause of reported foodborne disease outbreaks and food preparation in restaurants is the most common source of norovirus contaminated foods. Cruise ship outbreaks account for just 1 percent of reported norovirus cases, according to data published today by the Centers for Disease Control.
About one in every 15 Americans, on land or at sea, get sick with the virus each year. The findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Norovirus is mostly transmitted by person-to-person contact, including in health-care settings.
Food workers infected with the norovirus were the source of contamination in 70% of the outbreaks where factors were reported; contact between bare hands and ready-to-eat foods were identified in 54% of these outbreaks as well.
Norovirus is the leading cause of food-borne illness. "The food service industry has a crucial role to play in preventing norovirus outbreaks in contaminated food," CDC director Tom Frieden told reporters during a conference call.
Among the 324 outbreaks where a specific food was implicated, nearly all (more than 90 percent) were contaminated upon final preparation of the food (i.e. assembling the sandwich using all the prepared raw or cooked ingredients). Three-quarters of these outbreaks were also consumed raw.
About 20 million Americans are sickened with norovirus every year, with a total of 48 million suffering food poisoning from all causes.
To help reduce outbreaks of norovirus, the CDC recommends:
- Making sure food service workers wash their hands and use disposable gloves.
- Certifying kitchen managers and training food service workers in food safety practices.
- Requiring food service workers to stay home when sick with vomiting and diarrhea for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.
