In conjunction with the State Department of Health and the Public Health office from the City of Greater Dandenong, the Sandown Greyhound Racing Club has concluded a thorough investigation into the illness suffered by some of our patrons at this year’s TAB Melbourne Cup.
Following exhaustive independent testing of the venue and its procedures, together with laboratory testing of potential sources of contamination, the City of Dandenong Public Health unit has concluded the cause was a Norovorius contamination and that:
“It can really only be concluded that it is just one of those very unlucky occurrences and truly does not reflect on the standards of food operations or other facility cleanliness.”
It was indeed a dampener on a sensational night for greyhound racing. Media reports citing food poisoning as the source of the illness were incorrect. Despite our availability for comment we weren’t sought to outline the specifics of the situation. These reports heightened the alarm and caused unsubstantiated speculation.
Sandown conducts 104 race meetings and many commercial and free community functions each year. We treat each event as a reflection of the greyhound industry. Our standards are excellent. Our OH&S record exemplary. We aim to be even better.
Below is an excerpt from the report that the club has received from the City of Dandenong:
“The City of Greater Dandenong public health office investigated the matter with the State Department of Health.
Greater Dandenong took over 50 investigational samples and sent them to 2 different laboratories (viral and bacterial analysis). Samples included – food of regular food suppliers, surface swabs of kitchen preparation benches, floors and utensils.
These samples showed no bacterial contamination (nothing that could cause food borne illness; no salmonella, eColi [faecal contamination common to salad vegetables]). None the less, the kitchen was subjected to total closure and a cleaning process that requires the kitchen to present “as new” in every aspect of food preparation (goods in to goods out) before further trading.
Faecal samples collected from people that were ill only came back to the Council this week (Monday 8th) and show that people experienced Norovirus contamination. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus
Norovirus is extremely difficult to pinpoint in terms of initial origin. Norovirus origin becomes very speculative and there is every chance that the group that visited the facility on Wednesday the 19th November had among them a carrier of this infectious disease, which spread throughout the function area quickly due to proximity of dining (this is very similar to Norovirus disease spread on cruise ships and in nursing homes). Attendees on the Friday (Melbourne Cup) could have been exposed to residual viral contamination from this group’s visit.
I’ve been informed by the State Department of Health that there is a current spike in Norovirus activity around Victoria at the moment.
Whilst a set-back that no doubt rocks attendee and member confidence it can really only be concluded that it is just one of those very unlucky occurrences and truly does not reflect on the standards of food operations or other facility cleanliness”.
For further information, please contact Greg Miller on 03 9546 9511 or gmiller@grv.org.au.
