Faith Tanner of Fox 5 reports that health officials have been investigating a suspected norovirus outbreak at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

At the end of June, families from across the state stayed at Westgate for the Miss Nevada pageant. 

Contestants said several people got sick during and after the competition. 

“It’s terrifying, because we’re all trying to stay healthy and look good on stage and everyone’s throwing up around us,” Macie Tuell said. 

It was a week Miss Lake Tahoe, Macie Tuell, prepared all year for, to compete in Miss Nevada at the Westgate in Las Vegas. 

But Tuell and the other contestants weren’t prepared for so many people to get sick. 

“The first girl in our group that got sick, it happened Wednesday night and then each day a couple more girls got sick and a couple more got sick the day after that. I know one girl actually got sick while she was on stage and had to run off,” Tuell said. 

She said the show went on and contestants pulled through. Tuell ended up getting first runner up. It wasn’t until the end of the pageant that most contestants learned how widespread the illness was. 

“A couple of the employees were getting sick, so that’s when we stared to figure out it wasn’t just our group. Even our family members who we had not seen at that point they were getting sick.”

The Southern Nevada Health District has been investigating. 

Their information so far suggested a gastrointestinal illness. Consistent with norovirus or the stomach flu. Health officials couldn’t confirm how many people got sick. 

Officials said they’ve surveyed the Westgate’s kitchens and on July 4, the resort agreed to close the buffet for an additional health assessment.