Oregon public health officials are investigating a norovirus outbreak linked to Andina, the second in a year for the high-end Portland restaurant.

So far, 27 people who dined at Andina on March 1 and 2 reported developing gastrointestinal symptoms. Emilio DeBess, a state epidemiologist, said the public health lab has confirmed that one of the patrons was sickened by norovirus.

Testing for other diners is in the works. In the meantime, DeBess is interviewing those who became ill to try to figure out what caused the outbreak at the

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DeBess said health officials linked another norovirus outbreak to Andina last April. That month, six people developed gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at the restaurant. Four tested positive for norovirus, DeBess said.

Jels McCaulay, Andina's general manager, said members of the staff have called everyone who dined at the restaurant March 1 and 2, numbering more than 600 on Friday and more than 700 on Saturday.

"We're deeply troubled," McCaulay said. "We want to make it right."

Food safety

He said he was not aware of a previous outbreak. Andina's owner, Victor Platt, was surprised to hear about it as well.

"We never heard about that," Platt said.

Officials directly responsible for the April 2012 outbreak investigation were not available for comment.

Andina, hailed as the restaurant of the year by The Oregonian in 2005 and by PortlandFoodandDrink.com in 2009, features nuevo Andean and traditional Peruvian plates. Entrees range from $18 to $35.

Multnomah County, which knew about the outbreak, sent a restaurant inspector to Andina on March 11 to check out the establishment, which was due for its twice-yearly inspection. His report found a threat of possible cross-contamination in the refrigerated storage of raw chicken, raw beef and cooked beef.

The report also ordered the restaurant to buy a new refrigerator to prevent overcrowding. The temperature inside one unit was too warm because of crowding, posing a potential food safety threat.

McCaulay said Andina threw out all of the suspect food and had the unit serviced. The restaurant, which serves food seven days a week, has remained open.

The March 11 inspection report was not the first that found a problem with refrigeration at Andina. An inspection last June said the temperature inside a prep refrigerator was 53 to 65 degrees, instead of 40 to 43 degrees, as required.

Keeping food cold is essential to food safety. Bacteria multiply in warmer temperatures.

DeBess said that those sickened earlier this month included 15 of 30 people who ate at Andina on March 1 during a convention of the Oregon Psychiatric Association. The same night, six of seven people who celebrated a birthday party at Andina also became ill.

Then on March 2, at least four people in a party of five from the Portland area got sick, and two people in a party of four from Lincoln County became ill.

Two people sought treatment for dehydration at an emergency room, DeBess said. Everyone has recovered.

Norovirus, which flares in winter when people spend more time together indoors, is spread by people, either directly or indirectly through contaminated food or water. DeBess suspects an infected food handler may have caused the latest outbreak.

"Mostly likely somebody contaminated a particular food item that was consumed by multiple people," DeBess said.

McCaulay said some of the 173 people on his staff were out sick March 1 and 2. Everyone was interviewed and none who worked those days reported being ill.

Although those sickened developed severe symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, none that DeBess has talked to so far hold any ill will against Andina.

"They've all said that the food is excellent even though they got sick," DeBess said.

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