Washington DC area convention norovirus

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65 people from Washington-area convention fall ill with norovirus

Filed under: LARGO, Md. , Airport Illnesses

Apr 4, 2008 8:30 PM (51 mins ago) AP

LARGO, Md. (Map, News) - Tests confirm that a norovirus infection

sickened the 65 people who fell ill after attending a medical

convention at a Washington-area convention, according to Prince

's County health officials.

The illnesses were first noted when the Metropolitan Washington

Airports Authority's fire department received calls for a dozen sick

people at Reagan National Airport Thursday evening. The 12 travelers

had similar symptoms, including nausea, and all were planning to

depart on flights from the airport, said authority spokesman Rob Yingling.

Dozens of other people who became ill after attending the convention

Thursday at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon

Hill, Md., came forward Friday. About 350 people attended the

conference and all but one of the 65 people who became ill have

returned to their homes around the country, health officials said.

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the " stomach flu, " or

gastroenteritis, the health department said. People can be infected

through contact with infected people, ingesting contaminated food or

drink or by touching contaminated items and then touching their mouths.

Health Department staff interviewed staff and inspected the facility

to try to figure out what caused the illness. It could have been by a

lack a lack of handwashing, said department spokeswoman Bradley.

A private cleaning company has already started cleaning all hard

surfaces, rooms, linens, and carpet at the hotel, health officials said.

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