Two Oregon Zoo restaurants were temporarily closed today as staffers and state health officials worked to sanitize the facilities.
The Cascade Grill and AfriCafe were closed for a few hours Friday as the zoo works to address a possible norovirus outbreak that sickened about 135 people last week.
Jonathan Modie, a spokesman for the Oregon Health Authority, said zoo officials were working with the authority to sanitize the food preparation areas at the cafes.
A zoo spokesman said the cafés reopened Friday afternoon. The zoo's food carts and Bearwalk Café remained open.
In a statement provided by the zoo, Jean O'Connor, the deputy director of the Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division, said the zoo is at no greater risk than any other public setting.
"This is a very busy time for the zoo, with several events happening, but officials there remain vigilant in ensuring the safety of all zoo patrons," O'Connor said. "In fact, I plan to take my children there for ZooLights this weekend."
Norovirus primarily spreads through food, which can become contaminated when they come in contact with bodily fluids containing the virus. That can happen through food handlers who don't wash their hands, or through airborne droplets of contaminated fluids.
Modie said the virus is not spread from animals. "This is a human disease," he said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 21 million cases of norovirus occur in the United States each year. Modie said there have been 167 gastro-enteritis outbreaks in Oregon this year, and norovirus accounts for many of them. An outbreak is comprised of many cases.
"Hand hygiene is so important," Modie said. "It's the most important step we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading this and other germs to other people."
Note: The Oregon Health Authority updated its estimates on the number of people sickened on Dec. 17. It's now believed 135 people were sickened by the possible norovirus outbreak at the Oregon Zoo. This verison has been corrected.