Cause of Fayette Mall food court illness outbreak revealed

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has determined what caused more than 350 people to become sick after eating at the Fayette Mall food court.

The health department says results from those who were tested were consistently positive for norovirus.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It can be spread through direct contact with an infected person, by consuming contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces then putting unwashed hands near the mouth.

Chick-fil-A was the first restaurant in the food court to close after several employees called in sick.

Fayette Mall voluntarily closed the food court Monday to deep clean and sanitize the area after the health department received more reports of people becoming ill.

The mall reopened in the food court the next day.

The health department says its Environmental Health inspectors visited the site again Thursday.