At least 11 people have contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections in an outbreak linked to the BBQ Shack, a restaurant in Toccoa, Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Ten of the victims of the outbreak are Georgia residents, and one is a resident of South Carolina. Seven of the outbreak victims have been hospitalized, five with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. HUS-E. coli O157 can be fatal, giving rise to a wrongful death claim.
It is still unknown what food item at the restaurant was tainted with E. coli, but according to national food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker, outbreak victims and their families will most likely still have claims against the restaurant. “Restaurant owners are liable for illnesses linked to their establishments, even if it is not clear what food item was responsible for outbreak,” said Pritzker.
The BBQ Shack E. coli and HUS outbreak investigation has uncovered evidence linking the BBQ Shack to the illnesses, according to health officials. Illness onsets range from May 4 to May 8, 2013. Ten of the 11 case-patients reported eating at the BBQ Shack in Toccoa, (GA) during the weekend of May 2-4, 2013. No other common exposures were reported among case-patients.
