Members of 2 dining parties became ill with norovirus following meals purchased on November 4, 2013 at a restaurant located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Hennepin county Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) staff interviewed six restaurant patrons. Five patrons met the case definition. The small number of cases precluded a meaningful analysis of specific food items associated with illness. Two of three stool samples submitted for testing were positive for norovirus GII at the MDH Public Health Laboratory. No one was hospitalized and no one died.

HSPHD sanitarians visited the restaurant on November 8 to conduct an inspection and interview food workers. No critical violations were noted. No bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods was observed, and environmentalists witnessed proper handwashing and proper handling of food. The employee illness log listed one employee reporting illness in the week previous to the implicated meal date. Illness histories and job duty information were obtained from all 46 restaurant employees. four employees reported illness prior to the implicated meal date. Two employees reported illness after November 4.

Investigators concluded this was a norovirus outbreak. The vehicle of transmission was not identified; however, the most plausible scenario was ready-to-eat hamburger toppings which were contaminated by ill foodhandlers.