Norovirus outbreak affects over 100 people in Portugal

A sporting event in Caldas da Rainha, in the central region of the country, may have been at the centre of the infection. Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, nausea, fever, abdominal pain and headaches were among the signs that helped diagnose the disease. The accident and emergency department at Caldas da Rainha hospital treated more than 60 people last week with various symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea and, in some cases, nausea, fever, abdominal pain and headaches, leading to the identification of a norovirus outbreak. According to the local newspaper Jornal das Caldas (source in Portuguese), the municipal council has since confirmed 122 people infected, after receiving a report with the results of laboratory tests. “The stool cultures sent to the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge all came back positive for Genogroup II norovirus, thus identifying the likely agent responsible for the outbreak,” the statement said. Most of the cases identified – around 80 – are linked to an international youth football tournament organised by the company Footmania, held in the municipalities of Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos between 24 June and 8 July. Public health authorities and ASAE (the Food and Economic Safety Authority) therefore carried out tests on the catering service provided by the company, collecting food and surface samples. However, no evidence was found to suggest this was the source. The investigation is continuing to determine the origin of the outbreak. The organiser of the sporting event posted on the social network Facebook, describing a difficult edition. “This year brought us challenges that were not in our plans: an intense heatwave and a viral outbreak that affected participants in our tournament. These were tough days, in which we tried to take decisions quickly and well, always putting everyone’s health before anything else,” the post read. Norovirus is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis and is highly contagious. It is transmitted from person to person through contact with contaminated objects and surfaces and also by consuming water or food (especially raw shellfish and poorly washed vegetables). At the start of the summer, health authorities warned that “with the heat, longer days, meals out, parties, beaches, holiday clubs and family gatherings” there is a greater likelihood of some viruses spreading. In May this year, a norovirus outbreak spread on board the Ambition, a tourist cruise ship with more than 1,700 people on board, forcing passengers and crew to be confined during a stopover in Bordeaux.