At an event held at Ueno Park in Taito Ward, Tokyo until the 8th of this month, a number of people complained of feeling unwell after eating oyster dishes, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on the 16th that it had determined that food poisoning caused by norovirus was concluded. Since food poisoning caused by norovirus is more common in winter, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is calling for caution in washing hands and handling food.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 6 people between the ages of 8 and 16 complained of symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting after eating oyster dishes cooked and sold at the "Oyster Festival" held in Ueno Park from the 67th to the 35th of this month.

As a result of the investigation by the public health center, norovirus was detected in three of them, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government determined that it was food poisoning caused by norovirus.

In both cases, the symptoms are mild and they are on the way to recovery.

The organizing committee that organized the event apologized for the lack of heating of the oysters.

The number of food poisoning patients caused by norovirus in Tokyo was less than 3 per year in each of the three years until 2022, when the coronavirus pandemic was the case, but last year it was 3, more than tripled from the previous year.

The person in charge of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said, "It may be affected by the fact that the spread of the new corona infection has calmed down and the resumption of meals and events with a large number of people," and calls for attention to hand washing and handling food.

Norovirus food poisoning at a group home in Higashimurayama City

In addition, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that food poisoning caused by norovirus also occurred at a group home in Higashimurayama City.

In this group home, 8 residents of this group home had symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea one after another from the 9th to the 14th of this month.

All of the residents were eating meals cooked at the facility, and norovirus was detected in 12 of them.

Norovirus was also detected in one of the staff.

Nursery schools are also stepping up measures

Amid a series of cases of food poisoning caused by norovirus, nursery schools in Tokyo are strengthening measures such as frequent hand washing and disinfection.

At the nursery school "LIFE SCHOOL Kirigaoka Kodomo no Mori" in Kita-ku, Tokyo, children wash their hands thoroughly.

On the 16th, I instructed them to wash every corner of their hands thoroughly, checking the location and order of their fingers and palms.

In addition, toys and desks touched by children are frequently disinfected using sodium hypochlorite, which is effective against norovirus.

In order to prevent the spread of the virus by wiping various places with the same towel, we also devise ways to separate the towels used depending on the location.

In order to clean up as soon as possible when a child vomits and prevent the spread of the virus, we have also prepared an emergency cleanup set that includes disposable rags, gloves, plastic bags, etc., and we have a set procedure for cleaning up.

Aimi Iida, a nursery teacher, said, "Norovirus is very contagious, and we are especially careful in winter because we don't know where the danger is."

[Prevention points]

The number of norovirus patients begins to increase around November every year and peaks around December to January.

Norovirus is highly contagious, causing severe vomiting and diarrhea, and in healthy adults, it recovers in a few days, but children and the elderly can become severely ill, especially in facilities where children and the elderly gather.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, "disinfection" and "hand washing" are important for prevention.

[Disinfection]

Alcohol disinfection has become widely popular because it is effective against the new coronavirus, but alcohol disinfection cannot be expected to be very effective against norovirus.

Sodium hypochlorite is effective in disinfecting norovirus, and you can use a diluted version of commercially available chlorine bleach at home.

lavatory

Hand washing with soap is also effective, and the key is to wash carefully between your fingers and even your nails and rinse thoroughly.

It is especially important to wash your hands carefully before cooking, when eating, after using the toilet, and after disposing of vomit and changing diapers.

[Laundry]

In daily life, you need to be careful when washing and cooking, and if you have clothes that are stained with vomit, etc., if you suddenly wash them in a washing machine, the virus will also attach to other clothes that are being washed together, so it is necessary to wash them separately from other clothes and disinfect them further.

【Cooking】

Foods that need to be heated are urged to be thoroughly heated, especially for children and the elderly.

The indication for heating is not less than 85 seconds at 90 degrees Celsius.