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DE K A M L O O P S
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THURSDAY
Thursday, December 19, 2013 X Volume 26 No. 102
Kamloops, B.C., Canada X 30 cents at Newsstands
THIS WEEK
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Dorian focuses on post-norovirus era By Dale Bass STAFF REPORTER dale@kamloopsthisweek.com
FLAKES FALLING IN WESTMOUNT Left to right from rear left: Grade 1 and 2 students Reed Wiseman, Hannah Hansen, Liam Power-Bostock, Brooklynn Swaine and Brandon Burns sing out during the Westmount elementary primary concert, Flakes. To see more photos from the school’s primary and intermediate Christmas concerts, turn to page A19 and go online to kamloopsthisweek. com and click on the “Community” tab. Dave Eagles/KTW
Everything’s been washed — floors, walls, door knobs, even the salt and pepper shakers — as Dorian Greek House prepares to reopen this week after a norovirus outbreak was linked to the Victoria Street eatery in downtown Kamloops. “We’ve gone top to bottom. We’ve thrown out pens and pencils, any exposed food, everything,” said Larry Mason, longtime head waiter at the restaurant. The restaurant had already started cleaning after reports of Royal Inland Hospital staff becoming ill with symptoms that indicated norovirus after sharing a Christmas lunch at the popular restaurant. Tests later confirmed the virus. On Friday, Dec. 13, more patrons became ill and the cleaning began. On Monday, Dec. 16, the local health unit ordered it to close and clean, publicly pointing its finger at the spot as the source of the virus. Mason was one of seven Dorian staff who became ill, missing work for a couple of days as he dealt with the intestinal symptoms. While everything has been cleaned, Mason said no one can say for sure how the virus made
INSPECTIONS In March, 2012, the most recent inspection report available online, Interior Health Authority inspectors visited Dorian Greek House and noted food was not protected from contamination during transportation, display, storage or preparation. It also noted wet cloths were being used to cover food, which is an unacceptable practice. The report noted there were issues with food-contact surfaces. It noted the restaurant was in compliance on its transfat storage requirements. These are common issues found on many inspection reports. To see when your favourite restaurant was last inspected and to view reports, go online to php. interiorhealth.ca. its way through staff and the public. “Somebody touched something and then somebody else touched it,” he said, noting it could have been something as basic as an infected person leaving the virus on the front door knob as they arrived or left. Kevin Touchet, manager of environmental health for the Interior Health Authority, agreed
the virus could have been anywhere. “It’s tough to control,” he said of the virus. “And it can stick around in the air if someone who is infected vomits in the washroom, on handrails, toilet handles, on any surface.” Touchet noted the virus is often found at care facilities. “And they are diligent as well [in cleanliness], but the bug is so prevalent.” He said it’s best particularly in the winter, when norovirus outbreaks most often occur, to increase cleaning and step up hand-washing, “just good personal hygiene.” Touchet said the best way to wash hands is to use liquid soap and warm water, rub the hands for at least 20 seconds, rinse them and use a paper towel to turn off the faucets and open the bathroom door. He said staff at Dorian has been “working pretty hard to get their game back up.” Mason agreed. Since the news became public, “we’ve had an incredible number of cancellations. Christmas parties. New Year’s parties. “But, we’ve been cleaning so much there is probably less chance of anyone getting sick here than any other place in the city.”
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