Norovirus outbreak at Lake County wildfire evacuation center

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. (AP/KTVU) - Lake County officials are contending with a norovirus outbreak at a wildfire evacuation shelter. 

Lake County Public Health Director Denise Pomeroy said Wednesday that 20 to 30 people had shown symptoms of the virus in the last 48 hours. The airborne bug causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps.

Officials are taking steps to separate those who have shown symptoms from others at the shelter and hired a company to clean and disinfect inside. Additional hand washing stations also were set up. 

Pomeroy says about 150 to 175 people were at the shelter in Lower Lake High School on Tuesday night. Many were leaving Wednesday as officials lifted more evacuations. 

About 1,500 people remain under evacuation orders as firefighters battle the largest wildfire recorded in California history, called the Mendocino Complex.