Norovirus cause of illnesses at cheerleading event

State health officials have now identified the illness that made hundreds of people sick last week at Comcast Arena in Everett.

“It was norovirus that made the people sick, and the case counts are now up to about 229 so far,” said Donn Moyer, with the Washington State Health Department.

The department said those numbers are expected to grow as they receive more responses to surveys sent out to those in attendance.

Officials believe vomit on the floor of a restroom and in the adjacent walkway were the likely cause.