TOKYO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A norovirus outbreak has sickened 140 people at Hotel Daiheigen, a hot spring resort in Japan's Hokkaido, local media reported Saturday.

The source of the outbreak was identified as food prepared and served at the hotel between April 8 and 12, Asahi Shimbun reported.

Between April 8 and 11, 627 guests stayed or attended banquets at the hotel, and by April 19, 140 of them have reported symptoms such as diarrhea, according to the report.

Tests detected norovirus in five hotel kitchen staff members, as well as in several affected guests.

The incident marks Hokkaido's first food poisoning outbreak affecting over 100 people since 2019.