The LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella outbreak has now sickened at least 92 people, according to the St. Clair County Health Department. The restaurant has been approved for reopening by that agency.
The restaurant voluntarily closed their facility, which is located at 6115 North Illinois Street in Fairview Heights, Illinois, on October 2, 2024 and has fully cooperated with the St. Clair County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health in their investigation.
The restaurant employed professional environmental cleaning services to prevent any further spread of the illness, as well as training to restaurant staff on proper handwashing and safe food handling practices. Employees who worked during the outbreak have been tested for Shigella, and were required to have two negative tests for the pathogen before they could return to work.
As of October 17, 2024, there are 26 people who have positive Shigella tests, and an additional 66 people who report illness consistent with the symptoms of shigellosis. Those patients ate at the restaurant between September 19, 2024 and October 2, 2024. The age range is from 12 go 84. Twelve people have been hospitalized.
The investigation is continuing, and the health department is monitoring for more reports of illness. Testing data from lab reports is continuing to come in. The press release did not mention if they are looking into an ill employee or contaminated food as the source of the outbreak.
If you ate at that restaurant on those dates and have been ill with the symptoms of shigellosis, see your doctor. You may be part of this LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella outbreak.