Friday September 28, 2007 3:16 AM

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Authorities investigating a mystery intestinal
illness that has sickened up to 50 people restricted traffic in and out
of a Holiday Inn briefly Thursday.

Officials said they believe the flu-like illness centered on the Holiday
Inn in Swatara Township is similar to the highly contagious Norwalk
virus or norovirus, which causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, cramps and
other symptoms.

Authorities believe the virus was transmitted by touch and was
contracted in an exhibit hall of the hotel, Dauphin County Commissioner
Nick DiFrancesco said. A team of doctors and other medical personnel
took test samples and will try to identify the virus in the next few days.

Someone who answered the hotel's phone said no one there had any
comment, then hung up.

The first case of the illness was reported Monday but authorities did
not discover that it was spreading until later, DiFrancesco said. The
county emergency management agency said 40 to 50 people had been affected.

One person was taken to a hospital in Hershey, though a nursing
supervisor there said it was unclear whether the elderly patient's
condition was related to the virus. Three people were given intravenous
fluids at the hotel for dehydration.

Authorities did not officially quarantine the hotel, something only the
state can do, but strongly discouraged people from entering or leaving,
then eased those efforts after identifying the type of illness,
DiFrancesco said.

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