Hundreds of patrons reportedly took ill after a pair of events at the Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook last week.
The county Health Department said, “The Westchester County Department of Health has an ongoing investigation under way to put a stop to a recent rash of illness in people who attended events at the Hilton Westchester. While we have not yet determined the cause, it appears to be Norovirus, an infection whose symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.”
A Hilton Westchester spokesman said Wednesday, “We are fully cooperating with the Westchester County Department of Health and enacting all their recommended courses of action to ensure that the cause of these illnesses is determined and that the issue is resolved quickly. Â The health and safety of our guests and team members are the paramount concerns of the Hilton Westchester.”
The illness unfolds amid an era of budget cuts and health-related staff reductions are taking heat. “While the Hilton Westchester was inspected recently and corrected some outstanding issues, my fear is that other restaurants and places where people gather are not getting the attention they need from our County inspectors,” said Alfreda Williams, D-Greenburgh, who also serves as a member of the County Board of Health and as chairwoman of the legislature”™s community services committee. “I think residents and guests at county establishments want all the reassurances they can get that we are making sure proper sanitary conditions and guidelines are being met here.
The Health Department investigation was ongoing as of Wednesday, May 1. It reported, “Hotel management has been extremely cooperative throughout this investigation to work with the health department to protect the public”™s health. They also have notified organizers of upcoming events about these recent illnesses.”
The Health Department reported Hilton Westchester is voluntarily following every recommendation it has made, including:
Ӣ arranging for an outside contractor to provide an industrial cleaning of all hotel surfaces, with a special focus on the banquet halls;
Ӣ contracting for corporate health staff and corporate sanitarians to be present and to assist in assuring that all health department recommendations are being carried out by staffers;
Ӣ discontinuing service of uncooked foods that are prepared on site, and substituting commercially prepared salads and uncooked fruits; and
Ӣ providing a 72-hour paid furlough to all banquet service and kitchen staff through Friday night (May 3).
