4 residents of Atria Park assisted living facility in Great Neck Plaza sickened, hospitalized, authorities say

County health care experts are looking at a potential norovirus outbreak at a Great Neck Plaza assisted living facility after four residents were hospitalized Sunday night, complaining of nausea, authorities said.

Nassau County police, volunteers and EMS personnel from the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department and a Nassau County Fire Marshal’s hazmat team responded to the Atria Park assisted living facility on Great Neck Road after a resident complained of “feeling ill” at about 6:45 p.m.

While responders were on the scene, Nassau Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro said several other residents complained of similar symptoms. The hazmat team was called in to conduct tests for possible carbon monoxide poisoning.

Those tests proved negative, Uttaro said.

Three of the residents were transported to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and another to St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, all suffering from gastrointestinal distress, officials said.

The patients, whose identities were not released, were transported in stable condition, Uttaro said. It was not clear Monday if any of the four were hospitalized overnight or treated and released.

Officials said the Nassau County Department of Health was notified and scheduled to be on scene Monday to conduct tests. The State Department of Health and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office also were notified.

After ruling out carbon monoxide problems, Uttaro said, “that led responders to consider the illnesses were the result of some foodborne problem — or, maybe a norovirus.”

The Nassau County fire marshal's office turned the investigation over to Nassau County health and state health inspectors to determine the illness and the cause of any infection.

Fire officials were not aware of any prior incidents at the facility.

In an email, Alyssa Zohrabian, a spokesperson for the Nassau County Department of Health, wrote, "Upon notification of illness at the Atria Assisted Living Facility in Great Neck, Nassau County Department of Health began investigating the situation. This matter continues to be under investigation at this time."

In a statement issued by Atria Park, the facility said: “Yesterday evening, four of our residents were transported to the hospital exhibiting nausea symptoms. We are currently awaiting norovirus test results, are coordinating with the local Department of Health and are following their guidance, as well as NYSDOH."

Atria operates more than a dozen assisted living locations throughout Long Island and New York City.

Norovirus is a "very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." Anyone can be sickened by norovirus, sometimes called a stomach bug, which is not related the flu, the CDC said on its website.

The statement from Atria Park said its "memory care neighborhood will continue to operate under escalated infection control protocols, which includes enhanced cleaning, regular screening and monitoring of residents and staff."

Check back for updates on this developing story.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”