A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 90 people who ate at the Firefly on Paradise restaurant in Las Vegas is the latest in a string of recent food poisoning outbreaks associated with restaurants. Since December, a number of restaurant-related outbreaks of food poisoning have occurred from Salmonella, E. coli, Norovirus and other bugs.
In addition to the 89 people who were sickened at the Firefly, Salmonella outbreaks caused six illnesses among diners who ate at the Temazcal restaurant in Chickasha, Oklahoma in April and seven illnesses in customers of a Michigan restaurant who ordered raw beef kibbeh in December.
Norovirus sickened at least 18 people who ate at the Blazing Onion in Gig Harbor, Washington at least one of whom was hospitalized; 20 people at Mulvaney’s B&L restaurant in February; 48 customers of the North Park Deli in Concord, Calif. and more than 200 customers who ate at the Golden Coral in Casper, Wyoming in December. E. coli sickened at least five people who ate at Cincinnati’s Longhorn Steakhouse in December and two people who eat at the Ambaseel Ethipoian restaurant in Seattle in March.
An investigation into the Salmonella outbreak associated with the Firefly restaurant is stil ongoing. Health inspectors found a number of violations at the Firefly and Dragonfly restaurants and both been closed during the investigation to minimize public health risk.
Symptoms of food poisoning include diarrhea that is sometimes bloody, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Sometimes there is also fever. Food poisoning can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening illness. See a doctor if you develop these symptoms.
