Sushi Nine norovirus outbreak ends after no new complaints, Wake County says
The norovirus outbreak at Sushi Nine is considered over after no new illnesses were reported in 12 days, according to Wake County Public Health.
More than 240 complaints were made from people who ate at Sushi Nine at on 3812 Western Blvd. between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, the county confirmed.
Since WRAL News first reported the outbreak, three stool samples collected from complainants tested positive for norovirus, a contagious virus that causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain, among other symptoms, Wake County said.
The tested sample is a small percentage of those who became ill, but the Wake County Public Health and Wake County Environmental Services said all three cases came from the restaurant.
Wake County interviewed dozens of customers as part of an ongoing investigation into how illness spread to so many people.
"Unfortunately, norovirus can spread very easily, especially during holiday gatherings and parties, which include a lot of meal prep and catering," Wake County Public Health Director Rebecca Kaufman said. "We continue to work closely with customers who visited Sushi Nine, restaurant staff and our partners with NCDHHS to determine the source and extent of the outbreak."
Sushi Nine closed voluntarily for 48 hours when the first reports of illness were made but soon reopened.
Lisa Fatfat, co-owner of Sushi Nine, told WRAL News: "Because we prioritize the safety of our patrons and the community, our team at Sushi Nine decided to voluntarily close the restaurant for 48 hours. With this time, we have taken proactive steps to address recent reports of alleged food poison. We are conducting a thorough deep clean and inspection of our restaurant. Our team is cooperating fully with local health officials."
Sushi Nine customers share their experience: 'I was sicker than a dog'
Kevin Koewler said he had dinner at Sushi Nine recently and got up in the middle of the night and felt terrible.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and I was sicker than a dog," Koewler said. "I thought I was going to die."
One woman said her boyfriend got sick along with her neighbor after eating sushi from Sushi Nine. She had to take her boyfriend to urgent care for a hydration issue.
Investigators are looking at the restaurant's food storage and preparation as well as norovirus.
"It is a possibility," said Ashley Whittington with Wake County Environmental Services. "The nausea, vomiting and diarrhea symptoms are in line with norovirus symptoms and there's always a concern, especially this time of year."
Whittington said there is a possibility a customer or employee had the virus and may have contaminated surfaces in the restaurant.
Austin Freels ate at the restaurant with his family and friends days before his wedding. Not long after, he said several people started feeling sick.
“So, Friday night, the night before your wedding is traditionally the rehearsal dinner," Freels said. "You know, your closest friends and family come in. I missed that that entire thing because I was in the ER.”
Freels says he had agonizing stomach pain, and more than a week later, he still isn't back to normal.
“I went to get a CT scan on my stomach, and they said it was one of the most severe cases of food poisoning they had seen," Freels said. "I can barely still eat. Right now, I’m still on the BRAT [bananas, rice, applesauce, toast] diet for nearly seven days, and I’ve lost about 8 pounds from where I was.”
'We are looking at it from all angles'
Bill Marler, a food safety attorney, said he's already been contacted by two people who got sick from the restaurant. He said there are still numerous unknowns as to how customers came down with norovirus.
"What we don't know is was the sushi contaminated when it came in, [or] was it an ill worker?" he explained. "Both of those scenarios are still the restaurant's problem, but the restaurant may have some ability to point the finger at their supplier."
Jennifer Brown with the Wake County Environmental Health and Safety Division said authorities are still working to determine the cause of customers getting sick.
"At this time, we are not definitely able to say what the cause is, but we are looking at it from all angles," she said.
Brown added that while there is a variety of food indicated to be consumed at the time, they're not ruling that out, saying there is "no indication there is one particular food item at this time."
While a definite source of the contamination is unknown, Marler believes it came from someone working in the restaurant.
"My first thought is it's an ill worker, because that's generally how these norovirus outbreaks happen,' Marler said. "An ill worker is either actively vomiting or having diarrhea, and they don't wash their hands properly."
Marler said all 241 complaints are being investigated, but they may not all be norovirus.
"Right now, we have three lab-confirmed cases," he said. "Right now, our communicable nurses are calling each complainant. Once that's completed, we'll gather our results and close the investigation."
Norovirus prevention
According to the CDC, symptoms of norovirus include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fever
- Body aches
- Dehydration
Norovirus spreads from direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water or touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth.
Wake County Health Services shared tips on how to avoid catching the virus:
- Wash your hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. While hand sanitizer may sound like a substitute for soap and water, it will not work well against norovirus.
- Handle and prepare your food safely: Wash your fruits and vegetables well, cook oysters or shellfish thoroughly and routinely clean and sanitize kitchen utensils, counters and surfaces.
- Avoid preparing food when sick: Wait at least two days after your symptoms subside before preparing food or providing health care to others.
- Cleaning and disinfecting: Clean and disinfect surfaces often, especially when someone has been sick. You should also wash clothes or linens immediately if someone has been sick on them.
If you ate at Sushi Nine between Nov. 28 through Dec. 5 and got sick, you're asked to report that to the Wake County Communicable Disease Hotline at 919-250-4462.
Brown said her department offered tests to people who contacted the health department with a complaint, but have not received any samples back as of Thursday. The three confirmed cases had tests done through the individuals' health care provider.
