Nov
8
Written by:
Brad Meyer
11/8/2007 3:12 PM
A food safety alert was sent to food service establishments in Redwood, Renville, Meeker, McLeod, Sibley, Brown, Nicollet, Cottonwood, Murray, Lyon, Yellow Medicine, Chippewa, and Kandiyohi Counties on November 6, 2007.
Many people in the Renville County area are becoming ill from norovirus.
The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that people in this area take action now to protect your business, employees and customers.
- Stop employees with vomiting and diarrhea from preparing food.
- Make sure employees wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Post handwashing reminders in patron restrooms.
Norovirus is by far the most common cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in Minnesota and the rest of the United States. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, and aches that can incapacitate people for up to 2 days.
Norovirus is passed in the stool and vomit of ill or recently ill individuals. If such individuals are foodworkers and do not wash their hands thoroughly, the virus stays on the hands and can be passed to large numbers of patrons through bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
Norovirus is so common that every food service establishment will almost certainly be confronted with illness in one or more employees within the next few weeks or months. If a comprehensive program to prevent transmission to patrons is not implemented, the establishment runs a risk of causing a foodborne disease outbreak at the establishment. This prevention program should focus on identifying foodworkers with vomiting and/or diarrhea and excluding them from work; frequent, thorough handwashing by all employees; and, minimizing contact with ready-to-eat foods.
Please note that what employees may call the “stomach flu”, or even the “flu”, very well may represent a norovirus infection that can be transmitted to patrons through food. Also, please note that norovirus can be passed in the stool for a number of days, even weeks, after symptoms have resolved. This is why consistent and correct handwashing, and minimizing bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, are so important.
Please see the links below for more details.
- Memo: Urgent Food Safety Alert to Protect Your Business (PDF: 51KB/1 page)
Memo from MDH to food service establishments in Redwood, Renville, Meeker, McLeod, Sibley, Brown, Nicollet, Cottonwood, Murray, Lyon, Yellow Medicine, Chippewa, and Kandiyohi Counties; November 6, 2007.
- Norovirus Fact Sheet
MDH fact sheet that answers common questions about norovirus.
- Foodworker Illness Awareness
Workers who prepare food while experiencing diarrhea and/or vomiting are frequently linked to foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants and other retail food outlets. As a food manager or worker you have a responsibility to protect yourself and your guests from foodborne illness.
- Restrictions on Food Workers and Child Care Attendance
Children and adults may be subject to certain restrictions from daycare/preschool or food service when they are ill with a diarrheal illness.
- Reporting Suspected Foodborne Illness
To report a suspected foodborne illness call the MDH Foodborne Illness Hotline at 1-877-FOOD-ILL (1-877-366-3455).
- Handwashing Print Materials
Signs, posters, brochures and other handwashing materials that you can print and use.
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