Last May the Haaaaaaaaaarvard Faculty Club was shuttered after a norovirus outbreak sickened a few hundred guests and up to 40 per cent of the staff.

Yesterday the Seattle Yacht Club announced it was closing until March 15 after an outbreak of norovirus made about 150 guests and employees ill since March 1.

Club General Manager Steve Hall said the club voluntarily closed in order to sanitize its facilities.

Hall said the first sign of an outbreak was on March 1 and the club contacted Seattle & King County Public Health for guidance on how to manage the situation. The outbreak seemed to be under control until Saturday when several people who attended a function the previous night became ill.

The yacht club, which is located in the Portage Bay neighborhood and has 2,750 members, has hired two cleaning firms to sanitize the club and its food preparation and service facilities during its closure.