Wahaca norovirus alert shuts nine London restaurants

The Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca has shut nine of its branches after a suspected outbreak of norovirus.

Public Health England (PHE) is investigating after 205 staff and 160 members of the public fell ill.

Wahaca was founded by 2005 Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers and opened the first of its 19 restaurants in 2007.

In a statement with co-founder Mark Selby she said: "Last week a number of our staff and customers were struck down by what is suspected to be the winter vomiting bug, norovirus.

"We assessed each case and when it became clear they were not isolated incidents, we got in touch with relevant officials at PHE and Environmental Health Officers."

A Wahaca spokeswoman apologised to the people who were ill, saying it was an unprecedented incident.

The source of the outbreak is still to be established, according to Deborah Turbitt, PHE London deputy director for health protection.

"Public Health England has been notified of a suspected norovirus outbreak at a restaurant chain," she said.

"We are working closely with environmental health officers and the restaurant chain to investigate.

"We have so far been made aware of 205 staff and 160 members of the public reporting illness, however these are unconfirmed cases.

"Currently, the source of the outbreak is not confirmed and this remains under investigation."

Wahaca said all its restaurants had been cleaned and five of the affected sites have now reopened.

The restaurants which had been closed included London branches in Oxford Circus, Soho, Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, and White City.

Norovirus causes sickness and diarrhoea but those affected generally make a full recovery after a few days.

The NHS advises calling a doctor or the 111 helpline if the symptoms carry on.