Updated July 22, 2020. News reports are saying that a Campylobacter outbreak may have occurred at Rediviva restaurant at 118 Wishkah Street in Aberdeen, Washington. The Grays Harbor County Environmental Health Division learned about a person who tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni on February 25, 2020. That person told investigators he or she ate at Rediviva on Valentine’s Day.
Environmental Health investigated Rediviva and found several critical violations. Meanwhile, more reports of illness came in. Now there are at least 15 people who are sick after allegedly eating the Valentine’s Day dinner meal at that restaurant.
July 22, 2020 update: According to investigation documents from the Health Department, the outbreak was likely caused by Chicken Liver Mousse sources from Draper Valley Farms. And 25 people were sickened in this outbreak. Three had mild to moderate systems. Two people were hospitalized because they were so sick.
One news outlet said that the illnesses may have been caused by chicken liver mousse. We don’t know what temperature the chicken livers were cooked to at Rediviva before they were made into mousse.
There have been food poisoning outbreaks linked to undercooked chicken liver in the past; many chefs do not cook liver to 165°F, the safe final internal temperature for all poultry products, but regularly serve pink chicken liver. Campylobacter outbreaks are often associated with raw and undercooked poultry products.
Rediviva posted about the outbreak on their Facebook page on February 27, 2020, but identified it as an “ongoing epidemiology investigation” they are working on with the County Health Department. The post states that testing is being conducted on chicken livers.
Rediviva was closed by Environmental Health on February 27, 2020 because the facility had 75 or more “red point” violations that were uncovered during the inspection. The restaurant management is cooperating with the outbreak investigation.
The inspection report for Rediviva revealed these violations: Unapproved specialized processing methods were used, the person in charge couldn’t demonstrate knowledge of food safety regulations to the regulatory authority representative, and food workers used bare hands to handle ready-to-eat food items. The handwashing sink was out of paper towel. The menu was expanded without proper notification and approval.
Violations that could cause illness included simultaneous use of the prep sink for storage of raw potatoes and raw oysters. And the prep sink facility was not properly cleaned and sanitized after contact with raw animal foods. Unclean knives were in the sink basin before and after use of the prep sink. Raw duck was stored above raw pork and beef in the cooler. And food workers had difficulty finding a food thermometer.
You can contact food safety attorney Fred Pritzker for help if you have been sickened by food poisoning by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Symptoms of a Campylobacter infection include stomach pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, muscle pain, and diarrhea that is often bloody. These symptoms usually begin two to five days after exposure, but the incubation period can be as long as ten days. Long term complications from this infection can include arthritis, meningitis, Guillain Barre syndrome that can cause paralysis, and septicemia.
If you ate at Rediviva restaurant in Aberdeen, Washington in February and have been experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this Campylobacter outbreak at Rediviva.
