A possible E. coli outbreak is being investigated at Mexico Viejo restaurant in Taylorsville, North Carolina. Health Director Leeanne Whisnant told news outlets that more than 30 people are sick after eating chicken at that facility. One person has tested positive for an E. coli infection. Apparently, those sickened ate at Mexico Viejo restaurant on June 20, 2018. Whisnant told WBTV that she thinks this is an isolated event. The restaurant has remained open, and no more reports of illness have been received. She also said that everyone who was sickened who was also interviewed by public heath officials have either improved or recovered. If you ate at this restaurant on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 and have been sick with the symptoms of an E. coli infection, call the Alexander County … [Read more...]
Possible E. coli Outbreak at Mexico Viejo Restaurant in Taylorsville, NC; Lawsuits May Be Filed
Lawsuit Filed after Child Dies from E. coli and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker filed a lawsuit on behalf of the parents of a young boy who died from E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure almost always caused by E. coli O157:H7. On September 30, 2012, the two-year-old and his parents visited the petting zoo at the Cleveland County fair in North Carolina, according to documents filed in the lawsuit. Beginning on October 3, 2012, the boy had symptoms of gastroenteritis and bloody diarrhea. He was diagnosed with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and HUS a few days later. Although the The boy received intensive medical treatment, including dialysis, he died on October 12, 2012. The lawsuit was filed in Gaston County Superior Court, State of North Carolina (13-CVS 2339). The defendants in the case … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak From Cleveland County Fair In NC Grows
The E.coli outbreak associated with the attending the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina has sickened at least 13 people, according to state health authorities. Of the eight children and five adults who became ill, eight are from Cleveland County, four are from Gaston County and one person is from Lincoln County. Public health officials from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and health departments in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties are working together to investigate the E.coli outbreak among those who visited the fair between September 26 and October 7. So far, they have determined that two of those sickened have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections. One of them is a 12 year-old boy who has been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a … [Read more...]
NC Salmonella Paratyphi B Outbreak Expands Over Weekend
The Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak linked to tainted tempeh produced in Asheville NC continues to expand slowly. Over the weekend, two more cases were confirmed, bringing the total in Buncombe County to 64, according to the county health department. There are also at least 21 other cases in other parts of North Carolina. When the outbreak was first announced April 27, a total of 27 people had been sickened by the rare strain Salmonella Paratyphi B. The disease is spread by ingesting food contaminated with the bacteria or through person-to-person contact. In this case, those initially sickened contracted infections after eating contaminated tempeh, produced by Smiling Hara of Asheville. Subsequent cases were likely caused by person-to-person transmission, health authorities have … [Read more...]
Ribeyes Steakhouse May Be Source Of Second Outbreak in North Carolina
Health officials in North Carolina are investigating a potential foodborne illness outbreak that may be linked to Ribeyes Steakhouse in Nashville, located about 50 miles northeast of Raleigh, Amy Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Nash County Health department confirmed this afternoon. State and county health officials, who are running a collaborative investigation into an outbreak that has sickened dozens of people over the last week, issued a statement today. So far, they have interviewed 75 people, collected food samples for testing and worked with Ribeyes on preemptive safety measures that would thwart further transmission should tests link the restaurant to the outbreak. At this time, neither a food source nor a pathogen has been identified. Results from tests on the food samples … [Read more...]
