Norovirus Hits Gaylord Natl. Conference-goers

On April 3, 12 people who attended a medical conference at the Gaylord Natl. Resort & Convention Center fell ill with the highly contagious norovirus – just weeks before the hotel, located in Natl. Harbor, Md., was set to open its doors with a grand-opening bash on April 25.

“It's something you don't expect in your opening week,” said Amie Gorrell, Gaylord Natl.'s public relations manager.

In the following days, after the initial cases were reported, Gorrell said a few dozen more cases emerged. A week after the outbreak, she added, “the good news is the Prince George's County Health Department, which has been tracking all the cases, said there have been no new cases.”

According to Gorrell, there were approximately 1,500 hotel guests and another 1,500 employees on the property the day the illness was reported, so less than 5 percent of the total possible people got sick.

A number of the stricken conference attendees, most of whom were part of the medical conference and a handful from two other conferences in the hotel, were staying at five other properties.

“The health department cannot confirm it originated from our hotel,” Gorrell said. “It could have been brought in by the guests.”

Mike Morrill, Gaylord Natl. spokesman, added, “It's also not connected with the food service here in any way. It was in fact a person-to-person transmission, and the vast majority came from one group.”

According to Gorrell, the 300-person medical conference did not want to be identified.

One day after the first reported cases, the hotel and the health department conducted a thorough cleaning of all public areas such as escalators, railings and elevator buttons, Gorrell said. “Everywhere the conference attendees could have been was ... cleaned and disinfected under the supervision of the health department,” she added.

A letter was posted on the Gaylord Natl. Web site from the health department listing steps taken to contain the outbreak:

• Inspected the facility, including all kitchen areas, bathrooms and common areas.
• Advised the staff to be vigilant in following the company's policy regarding illness and not report to work while ill.
• Scrubbed all hard surfaces with 1,000-per-1,000,000 bleach solution.
• Recommended that everyone, guests and staff, be vigilant with hand-washing practices.
• Interviewed people who complained of illness and have visited Gaylord Natl.

“We want to make sure nothing comes around and affects another guest,” Gorrell said.

The 2,000-room hotel has 180,000 square feet of exhibit space and an additional 290,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.