Lakewood restaurant reopens following suspected norovirus outbreak

California Tacos reopened Wednesday, a day after the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department closed the Mexican restaurant to investigate a suspected norovirus outbreak.

The restaurant sanitized surfaces, per health department protocol.

The restaurant at 14818 Union Ave. SW in Lakewood was closed Tuesday after three diners who ate together, but who do not live together, reported becoming ill after eating at the restaurant on Sunday (Feb. 24). Additionally, employees reported norovirus-like symptoms between Feb. 20 and Feb. 23.

Since the initial report, the health department has received additional complaints of illness from eight more diners who ate at California Tacos between Feb. 21 and Feb. 24. Those diners come from three unrelated households.

Another Lakewood restaurant, Tijuana Taco, closed Wednesday for what appears to be an unrelated norovirus outbreak.

“We have found no connection to the suspected norovirus outbreak at Tijuana Tacos, which is also in Lakewood. Our investigation is ongoing,” the health department noted.

Diners who visited California Tacos or Tijuana Taco and became ill afterward can report their illness to food@tpchd.org, report the illness online at tpchd.org or call 253-798-4712.

Norovirus is extremely contagious and the health department advises those who become ill to stay home until symptoms pass.

This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 4:30 PM.