LANSING – Health agencies and the restaurant industry are focusing on safe procedures after the norovirus sickened hundreds of Lansing-area patrons in 2006.

Last year, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bravo Cucina Italiana and Applebee’s restaurants all suffered food poisoning outbreaks traced to the norovirus.

The gastrointestinal virus is highly transmittable according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  Outbreaks have occurred in restaurants, cruise ships, nursing homes, hospitals, schools, banquet halls, camps and family gatherings.

The symptoms include, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. They usually last one to two days.

An outbreak involves two or more unassociated individuals who became sick after dining at the same facility, said Sandy Enness, director of communications for Michigan State University’s National Food Safety and Toxicology Center.

The law firm of Marler Clark based in Seattle, is representing customers in their lawsuits against the three Lansing-area restaurants.

According to Marler Clark, Carrabba’s Italian Grill was the first local restaurant to have a norovirus outbreak in January 2006, with more than 400 consumers becoming ill.  Bravo Cucina Italiana’s outbreak occurred in May and affected up to 360 people.  In December, 32 people were sickened after eating at Applebee’s.

Enness said there are many ways that the norovirus can be spread.  In at least one of the three restaurants, the virus was spread through an ill employee.

“Many people are just not aware of safe food handling practices,” said  Enness,

Enness added that although county health departments inspect restaurants on a “cycle that best fits their resources,” there is not enough funding  to inspect restaurants more often.

Dur Efaw, an environmental health specialist with the Eaton County Health Department, said his agency inspects all restuarants twice a year.  That is consistent statewide, as well as with most state policies across the country.

Following the 2006 outbreaks, the health department asked restaurants to be more insistent that employees report illnesses before coming to work, Efaw said.

Andy Deloney, director of public affairs for the Michigan Restaurant Association, said in many cases a norovirus outbreak associated with a restaurant is not the fault of the restaurant or its employees.

“A lot of times it is brought in by a customer,” Deloney added. Deloney said one outbreak in 2006 was traced to a customer who became ill on his way to the restaurant and ended up spread the virus to others.

“It happens so suddenly,” said Deloney. “A lot of people don’t realize they have it.”

Delony said the norovirus is rarely fatal, but because of its nature there is no way to eradicate it.

“The norovirus cannot be fully prevented, but there are things that can be done to minimize chances and risks,” said Deloney.  “Public safety, health, and cleanliness are the number one priority of our industry.”

Deloney said that restaurants are encouraged to work closely with county health departments to provide quick response procedures and throrough clean-up following an outbreak.

Enness said there are ways to be safe at home as well.  These involve cooking food to proper temperatures using a food thermometer and storing foods quickly and properly to prevent contamination.

“We often inflict ourselves with the norovirus in our own home,” Enness said.