The Cumberland County Department of Public Health is working with the N.C. Division of Public Health to investigate a gastrointestinal illness outbreak among staff and patrons of a local hotel’s restaurants. There are two confirmed cases of salmonella and one individual has been hospitalized.

As of Monday, the Health Department had identified 16 individuals with signs and symptoms consistent with salmonella: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. All share a common denominator — they ate at the same establishment, the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, within the same time frame, Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8. The Holiday Inn Bordeaux has two restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux. There is also a banquet kitchen.

“We are actively working with the hotel and restaurant management and with state officials to resolve this as soon as possible,” said Cumberland County Health Department Director Buck Wilson.

“We are fully cooperating with the local and state authorities and appreciate their efforts to control the spread of the illness,” said Scooter Deal, general manager at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

The Health Department is asking anyone who developed symptoms after eating at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux on Tuesday, May 7 or Wednesday, May 8 to call the department at 910-433-3638. Also, for additional information you can call the “Salmonella Hotline” at 910-433-3824.

“We want people to call the health department even if they have recovered so we can ask them questions in hopes of identifying the source of the contamination. We have questions about food sources and travel,” Wilson said.

To stop the further spread of the illness, the Health Department advises that handwashing is the best control measure.

People need to make sure they are staying hydrated and should seek medical care from their private doctor, urgent care or emergency room if their nausea, vomiting and diarrhea symptoms don’t improve.

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