More than 100 people who attended the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park on Sunday, Jan. 17, reported becoming ill, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
In a news release Wednesday, the agency says it’s investigating an outbreak of norovirus infection. Symptoms of the extremely contagious virus include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.
KDHE says it’s conducting a confidential online survey of people who attended the matinee and evening performances staged that day at the popular dinner theater.
Rob McGraw, the New Theatre’s vice president of marketing, said the theater got a call from one of its patrons on Tuesday and immediately contacted KDHE.
He described the virus as very common. “You can catch the flu anywhere,” he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States, causing 19 million to 21 million illnesses annually. It’s also the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks.
Dan Margolies, editor of the Heartland Health Monitor team, is based at KCUR. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.
