2 Lakewood restaurants close for possible norovirus cluster

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Two Washington state restaurants have closed over concerns that customers and employees were sickened by a norovirus outbreak.

KING 5 reports that at first, a handful of people reported getting sick after eating at California Tacos and Tijuana Taco in Lakewood.

But on Friday, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced that 70 people have now reported falling ill since eating at the restaurants.

Health officials have not found a connection between the suspected outbreaks at Tijuana Taco and California Taco.

Norovirus is a highly contagious illness that causes vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

Symptoms usually occur about 24 to 36 hours after a person ingests the virus.

Lakewood is about an hour south of Seattle.