The Ministry of Health in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) said laboratory tests conducted at the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre for ten individuals suffering from an outbreak of a mystery illness at resorts in Providenciales have been confirmed as norovirus.
According to unconfirmed reports, the government has ordered the Beaches resort to close as a result of the outbreak.
Noroviruses are are highly contagious and are transmitted directly from person to person and indirectly via contaminated water and food.
Outbreaks of norovirus infection often occur in closed or semiclosed communities, including hospitals and cruise ships, where the infection spreads very rapidly either by person-to-person transmission or through contaminated food.
Other than supportive therapy, it usually requires little by way of medical interventions and usually resolves without incident.
The investigations by the public health team in the TCI are ongoing.