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Health authorities are launching an investigation into Norovirus outbreak that sickened nearly 400 people after eating at the New Theater Restaurant in a Kansas City suburb.

Kansas' Health and Environment Department initially confirmed 100 restaurant patrons showing signs of the food-borne illness. The number has since burgeoned to 390 as more people were reportedly sickened after eating at the said dinner theater. Laboratory tests of four sickened individuals yielded positive Norovirus results.

New findings by health regulators point that the outbreak may have possibly affected restaurant-goers from 15 January to 17 January.

A highly transmittable disease, the food-poisoning illness has signs and symptoms that include frequent vomiting, stomach aches, diarrhea, and fever. Some patrons recalled their extremely uncomfortable ordeal after getting sick from the restaurant.

"The next night, wow, I got sicker than a dog. It hit hard and it hit fast. All of the people who ate the chicken got food poisoning, same thing," remarked Nancy Gilbertson who went to see the dinner theater's performance last on 16 January as quoted saying by AOL.

However, New Theater Restaurant VP for sales and marketing, Rob McGraw refuted claims that have originated claims that the virus outbreak started in their kitchen. He said three employees were found to have been exposed after serving a man who was also tested positive for norovirus on 17 January, the Kansas City Star reported.

Despite the unfortunate food poisoning outbreak, its customer base remains highly supportive as its tickets are almost completely sold out throughout February.

"They [customers] say, 'We know this is not your fault, and we will continue to come. The theater, the entire theater, is thoroughly cleaned every day," McGraw confidently said as mentioned in a report by ABC News.