'Clean Bill of Health' for Orland Park Banquet Facility: Owner

ORLAND PARK, IL — An Orland Park banquet hall is running business as usual Friday, following precautionary cleaning as a result of guests falling ill after a Dec. 9 event at the facility.

"The health and safety of our patrons is our top priority. Our venue has undergone a thorough cleaning and followed all of the health officials' guidelines , after it was reported that patrons possibly contracted the norovirus after attending a party on December 9," staff wrote on the business' social media page.

"We have a clean bill of health from Cook County and the Village of Orland Park."

Cook County Department of Public Health officials are trying to pinpoint the source of the illness, which has symptoms resembling those of norovirus, a highly contagious virus that attacks the digestive system and causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

Health department officials have spoken with 60 people who showed symptoms. An organizer of the Dec. 9 event said he estimated that 100 were impacted. It's unclear if the virus originated on the premises, or was brought in by one of the guests. Norovirus is passed very easily through person-to-person contact.

Owner Tom Koszulinski told the Chicago Tribune that the facility has undergone an extensive cleaning, and that staff have followed health officials' guidelines in disinfecting any surfaces that could have been contaminated.

Organizers of some events scheduled to take place this weekend have chosen to reschedule out of concern about the situation, but all other upcoming events will continue as scheduled, he added.

Photo Courtesy of Orland Chateau Banquets Facebook Page