A likely Norovirus outbreak involving a Jimmy's John's restaurant in Garden City is under investigation by Kansas officials who are asking for the public's help. State and local health officials want ?anyone who dined at the Jimmy John's Restaurant in Garden City, KS between Dec. 10 and Dec. 24, 2013 is to participate in an online survey.
The survey is part of an investigation by the ?and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) into reports of gastrointestinal illnesses being experienced by Jimmy John's customers from those dates.
"To determine the cause of illness, it is important for us to get information from those who became ill as well as those that did NOT become ill," the request to the public says. Jimmy John's customers are being asked to complete this survey, regardless of whether or not they did become ill.
People are also asked to complete a separate survey for EACH meal purchased from from the Garden City location between December 10 and December 24, 2013. A separate survey should also be completed for each meal for other family members who ate at this location during the time period. On the last page of the survey, there is a link that will allow input information for any additional meals or family members.
KDA's Food Safety and Lodging program has conducted an inspection of the restaurant and has been working closely with Jimmy John's employees to respond to this outbreak.
"We are suspecting that this outbreak has been caused by norovirus," said D. Charles Hunt, State Epidemiologist at KDHE. Hunt said this is based on the symptoms of illness being reported, the large number of persons reported to be ill, and the period of time between food being eaten and the onset of illness, or incubation period.
Norovirus typically causes gastrointestinal illness – such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and low-grade fever – and is easily passed from person to person or through food that has been contaminated during preparation. It often causes large outbreaks, affecting a large percentage of persons who were exposed.
The best way to prevent norovirus is proper hand washing, excluding ill persons from preparing food, and proper cleaning and sanitizing of food preparation areas.
Members of the public who need to contact local health officials about this outbreak can call the Finney County Health Department at (620) 272-3600.
