Stop Eating at Chains in Seattle, Lest you Become Ill

Health officials are investigating a suspected norovirus outbreak after 50 people got sick at a private event in Bellvue at a Maggiano’s. Poor Seattle. Not three months ago, Chipotle had to shut down 43 stores in the Pacific Northwest because of an E. coli outbreak.

It’s unclear whether it was the food from Maggiano’s which caused the outbreak. While it’s possible for norovirus to be transmitted from food to person, it’s extremely contagious and more often than not is spread from person to person. A patron of the private event may have already had the virus when he or she entered the party which, for Maggiano’s is the best case scenario.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

If a Maggiano’s employee was sick and working anyway, this is a huge problem. In the wake of Chipotle’s crisis, they’ve decided to give employees paid sick days. People should not be encouraged to work anywhere if they’re sick, let alone in food service.

Maggiano’s has said they’re taking the incident very seriously, and that the restaurant has been totally disinfected. Still…might be best to eat at home for a while.

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