One year after a Salmonella outbreak was linked to its Las Vegas location, Firefly Tapas Kitchen and Bar in Henderson, Nevada has been cited by health inspectors for some of the same food safety violations found at the Las Vegas restaurant at the time of the outbreak. Inspectors from the Southern Nevada Health District gave Firefly 38 demerits on a March 31 inspection, three short of triggering a mandatory closure. The violations included inadequate hand washing facilities, improper hand washing practices by food handlers; food that was not heated or cooled to the proper temperature and foods that were spoiled, unwholesome or adulterated. These violations were also discovered at the Las Vegas location prior to the outbreak. The 38 demerits translated to a C rating from inspectors. … [Read more...]
Foods Consumed by Patients Sickened in Salmonella Firefly Outbreak
People from twenty states and two foreign countries are ill in the Salmonella outbreak linked to Firefly restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. The patients live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington state. People from Canada and England are also sick. The serotype of this particular Salmonella bacteria is called "I:4,5,12:i:-". That means it doesn't have a name assigned to it, such as Salmonella Saintpaul, found in imported cucumbers this year, or Salmonella Typhimurium, found in unpasteurized Mexican-style cheese last month in Minnesota. The Southern Nevada Health District has been investigating this outbreak from … [Read more...]
Salmonella Lawsuit: Firefly Outbreak Grows to 200 Sickened
The Salmonella outbreak linked to Firefly on Paradise restaurant in Las Vegas has grown to include at least 200 people, according to the Southern Nevada Health District. Firefly and Dragonfly restaurant were closed on April 26, 2013, after the outbreak was recognized. At least 196 patrons and 4 employees are part of the outbreak. Of those 200 people, 16 have been lab-confirmed and 184 are probable cases. The serotype of the outbreak strain of Salmonella bacteria is "I:4,5,12:i:-". A probable case in this investigation is a person who ate food served by Firefly restaurant from April 21 to 26, 2013 and experienced diarrhea (three or more bouts of diarrhea) and/or at least one bout of vomiting during a seven day period following the restaurant visit. The incubation time was extended from … [Read more...]
Salmonella Lawyers File Lawsuit Against Firefly Restaurant in Las Vegas
A Pennsylvania woman has filed a lawsuit against the Firefly on Paradise, a Las Vegas restaurant. She is seeking compensation for allegedly contracting Salmonella food poisoning from the restaurant. She is being represented by Fred Pritzker and his team, who are also representing several other people allegedly sickened in the outbreak. The firm's client is one of the 89 people sickened in a Salmonella outbreak associated with the Firefly. She and her husband were visiting Las Vegas in late April. On April 24, they ate dinner at Firefly on Paradise. Two days later, she developed symptoms that included nausea, fever, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. She is still receiving medical treatment. After the firm's client and other sick patrons contacted the Southern Nevada Health … [Read more...]
Firefly Salmonella Outbreak: Illnesses Usually Underreported
The Salmonella outbreak linked to Firefly on Paradise restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada has sickened at least 89 people, including 86 patrons and 3 employees. But the actual illness count may be much higher. Why? The seating capacity of the restaurant is 85 people. The restaurant was open from 11:30 am to 2:00 am every day. A conservative estimated turnover of five per table per night means at dinner, Firefly could serve 425 people. Double that for the lunch crowd. The people who were sickened ate at the restaurant on six days: April 21-26, 2013. That means that, at the very least, more than 5,000 people were potentially exposed to the outbreak strain of the Salmonella bacteria, depending on whether the source was an ill employee, a problem in the restaurant management, or contaminated … [Read more...]
Nevada Regulations Prohibit Ill Workers From Handling Food
The Communicable Disease Protocol of the state of Nevada stipulates that restaurant employees should not work if they are ill. The protocol states that "A person excreting Salmonella spp. shall not work in a sensitive occupation unless authorized to do so by the health authority." The Salmonella outbreak at Firefly on Paradise in Las Vegas may have been caused by employees working while they were ill. Three of the 33 employees interviewed by public health officials indicated they were sick with "gastrointestinal symptoms" in the days before the outbreak began. The problem is that many people do not realize they have Salmonella infections, and continue to shed the bacteria even after they feel better and return to work. According to NAC 441A.680, an employee sickened with … [Read more...]
Sick Workers May Have Played a Role in Firefly Salmonella Outbreak
The Salmonella outbreak associated with the popular, Las Vegas tapas restaurant Firefly may have been caused by the most common source of food poisoning outbreaks associated with restaurants - sick workers. Sick employees cause 65 percent of food poisoning outbreaks at restaurants and workers touching food with bare hands cause 35 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 89 people have been sickened in the Salmonella outbreak associated with Firefly. The restaurant has been temporarily closed to minimize the public health threat while the investigation is underway. Three of the 40 Firefly employees scheduled to work on April 26 told investigators that they had been ill with gastrointestinal symptoms. And health inspectors found a number of … [Read more...]
Firefly is the Latest in a String of Restaurant Food Poisoning Outbreaks
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 … [Read more...]
Firefly Restaurant Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 89 People
The Salmonella outbreak associated with Firefly on Paradise restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada has sickened 89 people, including 86 patrons and 3 employees, according to Southern Nevada Health District Epidemiologist Dr. Linh Nguygn. The outbreak was first reported by eight independent groups of the restaurant's patrons on April 26, 2013. All of those sickened ate at the restaurant from April 21 to April 24, 2013. Symptoms of illness included diarrhea and/or vomiting. On that same day, public health officials performed an investigative inspection and closed Firefly and Dragonfly restaurants to minimize the risk of illness. The Office of Epidemiology (OOE) staff performed telephone interviews with ill patrons to get more information and the SNHD foodborne illness complaint database was … [Read more...]
Firefly Las Vegas Restaurant Salmonella Outbreak Sickens at Least 80 People
The Southern Nevada Health District is investigating a Salmonella outbreak associated with Firefly Tapas Restaurant and Bar at 3900 Paradise Road in Las Vegas. Public health officials believe more than 80 people have been sickened in this outbreak. The health department closed Firefly on April 26, 2013 after reports of illness began coming into the office. The health department has identified the cause of the outbreak as Salmonella. The symptoms of salmonellosis, the illness associated with a Salmonella infection, include diarrhea, which can be bloody, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. People usually get sick 6 to 72 hours after infection. Investigators do not know what food is the source of the outbreak. Nationally known food safety … [Read more...]
