Early last week, the Casper-Natrona County Health Department reported that it was investigating several reports of intestinal illnesses.  They announced that they were also coordinating efforts with the Epidemiology Section of the Wyoming Department of Health.  Some reports have suggested a local restaurant, but others have reported no contact there.  Symptoms include Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea and Headaches, and duration is about 24-48 hours.  If you have experienced these symptoms in the past 3-4 days, please call the Health Department at 307-235-9340.

According to Kyle Roerink of the Casper Star-Tribune, as of Friday evening, the Casper-Natrona County Health Department had received 292 reports of foodborne illness related to the Golden Corral restaurant in east Casper, according to department Director Bob Harrington. Harrington cautioned that not all reports are likely to be related to the restaurant.  Then Harrington was quoted as saying – despite asking the people who pay his salary to call in:

Some people may have contracted the disease somewhere else, he said. And given the litigious nature of society, some people may be trying to make a quick buck off of insurance claims, Harrington added.

The reality Mr. Harrington is that your citizens who became sick at Golden Corral wound need to prove 1) that they ate there, 2) that they contracted norovirus from Golden Corral’s food, and 3) that they sustained damages.

And, then Friday, the Golden Corral announced a voluntary 24-hour closure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the restaurant.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that noroviruses cause nearly 21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis annually, making noroviruses the leading cause of gastroenteritis in adults in the United States.