Almost 400 people ill after attending Kansas dinner theater

Kansas health officials have expanded the investigation into a norovirus outbreak associated with a suburban Kansas City dinner theater.

The Kansas City Star reports the restaurant is cooperating with the investigation, and the outbreak may be linked to a man who was showing signs of illness on January 17. “I mean, I’ve had 24-hour bugs, intestinal bugs, but it was pretty acute”, Mary Geisz, who became infected with norovirus after attending New Theatre, told 41 KSHB. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

The department asked that people who have attended performances from January 15 until now take part in a confidential online KDHE survey even if they didn’t become ill.

Following a norovirus outbreak in Minnesota last month, officials in Kansas say they are dealing with an outbreak tied to a Kansas City 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 added that the theater, which holds about 625 people, is sold out almost through the end of February.

This story has been corrected to show that the Overland Park, Kansas, business spells their name New Theatre Restaurant, not theater.

“Our kitchen staff of 40, no one has come down with the norovirus, so we know it is not connected with the kitchen”, McGraw said. Several employees have also been reported ill with symptoms that point to norovirus. ‘The theater, the entire theater, is thoroughly cleaned every day’. Norovirus is spread from person to person, by touching contaminated surfaces, or through contaminated food or water.

Norovirus infection, which is common in winter, sickens about 19 to 21 million persons across the United States each year. “Eight of the 10 people were sick”. The best way to prevent norovirus is proper handwashing.