Health department warns of suspected norovirus outbreak at Tacoma buffet restaurant

A suspected norovirus outbreak caused a Tacoma restaurant to shut down for at least 24 hours.

Multiple people in a group, but from different households, ate at the Harvest Buffet on Oct. 6. They reported norovirus-like symptoms on Wednesday. The meal at the restaurant was their only common source of food, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

The Harvest Buffet was closed down at 10 a.m. Thursday and was set to reopen after staff clean and sanitize the restaurant. They are expected to take all necessary steps to ensure the public is no longer at risk, the health department said.

The staff will also throw out all ready-to-eat foods such as vegetables, bread and cheese.

Norovirus is extremely contagious. Symptoms of an infection include diarrhea or vomiting, often at the same time. These symptoms last a day or two, the health department said. The virus is often related to cruise-ship outbreaks.

Anyone who ate at the Harvest Buffet recently and became sick is asked to contact the health department at food@tpchd.org, report it online or by phone at 253-649-1696.

The health department listed cleaning instructions for norovirus on their website .