Norovirus-like illness associated with DSquared Hospitality at T-Mobile Market Hall in Bellevue

Highlights, updated June 6, 2023

Summary

Public Health investigated an outbreak of norovirus-like illness associated with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and chills at Dsquared Hospitality at T-Mobile Market Hall in Bellevue. This is a large corporate food hall for T-Mobile employees that is typically not open to the public.

We identified one ill employee who reported symptoms consistent with norovirus on April 25, 2023, and returned to work on April 26, 2023. While the employee did not work while ill, people can be contagious up to a few days after symptoms resolve. Norovirus spreads easily through contaminated food items, environmental surfaces, and from person to person. While most of these cases appeared to be foodborne, it is possible some people became ill from another sick person or from touching contaminated surfaces in the facility.

Illnesses

As of May 10, 2023, 70 people reported illness after eating food from Dsquared Hospitality at T-Mobile Market Hall. Meal dates ranged from April 26 to May 1. All the people developed one or more symptoms consistent with norovirus-like illness, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and chills.

Public Health actions

Environmental Health Investigators visited the food service facility on May 2, 2023. The food service facility closed on May 2, 2023, to complete a thorough cleaning and disinfection. Environmental Health Investigators revisited the facility on May 3, 2023, and verified proper compliance with cleaning and disinfection. The food facility reopened on Thursday, May 4th.

Investigators reviewed with food service facility management the requirement that staff ill with norovirus-like symptoms are not allowed to work until they are symptom-free for at least 48 hours. We also provided education about other ways to prevent the spread of norovirus — including proper handwashing, preventing bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, and best practices for facility-wide cleaning and disinfection. Investigators provided norovirus cleaning and disinfection instructions for areas outside the food facility to the T-Mobile headquarters Facility Management team.

Laboratory testing

We do not have laboratory testing for the people who got sick. Often in norovirus outbreaks, no laboratory testing is done because people tend to get better within a day or two. Symptoms among those who got sick were suggestive of norovirus-like illness.