Taichung City Government’s Health Bureau yesterday ordered Hoya Resort Hotel Wuling (武陵富野渡假村) to stop serving food after scores of hotel guests developed norovirus infections.
The bureau said many guests at the resort near Wuling Farm (武陵農場) complained of vomiting, diarrhea and fever after dining at the hotel in recent days.
As of yesterday morning, about 120 people had sought treatment at a nearby medical emergency station.
“Hotel officials said that some employees had come down with the norovirus infection and they could have transmitted the virus to guests via food during preparation,” the bureau said, adding that five hotel staff members are on sick leave.
The bureau said it has inspected the hotel’s premises and food preparation process, and has taken samples from its kitchen workers and food products for testing.
The order was issued one day after Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily quoted a guest at the hotel, surnamed Hsieh (謝), accusing the hotel of keeping the knowledge of a norovirus outbreak among its staff members from tourists to avoid potential losses due to last-minute cancelations.
“My family and I stayed at the hotel on Wednesday. The next morning, my seven-year-old was vomiting and had diarrhea for no reason and the day after that, my wife also suffered the same symptoms,” Hsieh was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
“They tried to reassure me by saying that their staff members were required to wear gauze face mask and that the virus would not spread,” Hsieh was quoted as saying, adding that the hotel had put financial gain before guests’ health.
In response, the hotel said that while some of its employees had experienced symptoms similar to those of the norovirus infection, the actual source of the outbreak was yet to be determined, adding that a group of about 30 people staying at the hotel on Friday all suffered vomiting and diarrhea.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said spring and winter are peak seasons for norovirus infection, adding that people who often dine out are more prone to contracting the virus.
“Alcohol-based sanitizers are ineffective against norovirus infection. People are urged to wash their hands as frequently as possible, particularly before preparing food and eating, as well as after going to the bathroom,” Chuang said.
Chuang said people should use diluted bleach to disinfect their environment and stay away from raw or undercooked shellfish.
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