Forty-four residents of the Village Gate retirement facility in Farmington have suffered from vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.

According to a health official who works for the company that owns the home, fewer than five of the people who have become ill have been taken to the hospital.

Holiday Retirement Director of Health Resources Nina Buchanan says she suspects the illness may be norovirus.

Holiday Retirement owns Village Gate.

The illness started appearing among residents last week.

Farmington Valley Health officials did NOT return a call seeking information about the illness Tuesday afternoon.