Around 40 Reykjavík city workers fall ill in outbreak

About 40 Reykjavík City employees fell ill in an outbreak last week, mbl.is reports. They all work at the city’s premises on Borgartún, and norovirus was detected in two samples, although investigators have not linked the outbreak to any specific food.

The illnesses appeared between September 24 and 28. The main symptoms were vomiting, diarrhoea and fever.

Reykjavík’s health inspection authority said in a statement, cited by Vísir, that it considers the outbreak over. The investigation was conducted with the chief epidemiologist, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority and the district epidemiologist for the capital region.

Investigators considered whether food from the canteen on Borgartún was responsible, but inspections found nothing that explained the outbreak. An analysis of the relationship between food consumption and illness found no link to any particular food served on the relevant days.

About 1,100 people ate at the canteen between September 23 and 25. Nearly 800 people work there, and almost 200 meals were sent to City Hall.

The city, which holds the canteen’s operating licence and is responsible for it, responded to the health authority’s observations by increasing and improving cleaning. With no new related cases reported, the authority says staff who are well and have no symptoms can return to work.