Suspected norovirus at P.E.I. resort investigated
About 60 people were sick with gastrointestinal illness last weekend
An outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness at the Stanhope Beach Resort and Conference Centre last weekend is being investigated by the Department of Health, according to P.E.I.'s chief health officer.
Dr. Heather Morrison says about 60 people had symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps or diarrhea after attending events at the resort.
Morrison says it could possibly be a norovirus-like illness.
"No cause has been identified to date. Food histories have not identified a likely food source of the illness. And no bacterial cause of the illness has been identified to date," she said.
"We do have some viral testing pending … there have been no reports of any new ill staff or guests at the resort over the last few days."
Most people who reported symptoms are feeling better, she said.
The health department says there were three different weddings at the resort on the weekend.
No one else has become sick since then. There has never been an illness of this kind reported at the resort before, Morrison said.
Audrey Firth, the general manager of the resort, says they are co-operating fully with the Department of Health in its investigation to determine the cause of the illness.
She says the facility has always maintained a high degree of cleanliness in all parts of the property and has re-doubled its efforts to ensure this doesn't happen again.