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 … [Read more...]
LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella Outbreak in IL Sickens 68 People
The LongHorn Steakhouse shigella outbreak in Illinois has sickened at least 68 people, according to a news release issued by the St. Clair COunty Health Department in Belleville, Illinois. That restaurant is located at 6115 North Illinois Street in Fairview Heights, Illinois. As of October 11, 2024, this case count is correct. There are 24 patients with positive Shigella lab reports, and an additional 44 people who are reporting illnesses consistent with a Shigella infection after eating at that restaurant. The patient age range is from 12 to 80 years. Nine of those patents have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The restaurant closed voluntarily on October 2, 2024 and the owners been fully cooperating with the health department in this investigation. Environmental … [Read more...]
LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella Outbreak in Illinois Sickens 14
A LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella outbreak in Fairview Heights, Illinois has sickened 14 people, according to the St. Clair County Health Department. That restaurant is located at 6115 North Illinois Street in that city. The patients live in "multiple jurisdictions." Representatives from the restaurant have been cooperating with public health officials. Some of the illnesses were caused by shigellosis, which is an infectious disease caused by the Shigella bacteria. The investigation is ongoing. As of October 2, 2024, there have been 14 Shigella reports with positive test results. Twelve of those people ate at the LongHorn Restaurant between September 21 and 22, 2024. Six of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Noted food safety attorney Eric … [Read more...]
Possible Shigella Outbreak at Elks Lodge in Eureka, California
There is a possible shigella outbreak at Elks Lodge in Eureka, California according to the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. There are three confirmed cases and five suspected cases that are associated with a dinner that took place at the Lodge on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. The notice said that Shigella illnesses are "on the rise" in the county since at least six people have tested positive for the infection since August. The first cluster of three patients was identified in late August, but no connection between those people could be confirmed. The two clusters do not appear to be connected. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Candy Stockton said, "We are receiving additional reports of people with GI symptoms who were also at that event and are working … [Read more...]
Yakima County Shigella Outbreak Sickens 72 in Washington
A Yakima County Shigella outbreak has sickened at least 72 people in Washington state, according to the Yakima Health District. Officials do not know how people contracted this infection, or how it is being spread. They also do not know if contact with surfaces, or if eating food prepared by someone with a Shigella infection are explanations for this outbreak. The 72 patients have been diagnosed in that county from January 1, 2023, through October 16, 2023. Last year, only 10 cases were diagnosed in the same time period. Public health officials are asking the community to start using preventative measures to reduce the spread of this pathogen as the holiday season approaches. Shigella is very contagious and spreads easily through person to person contact. You can also contract … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak at Hotel in Los Angeles, California Sickens Six
A Shigella outbreak at an unnamed hotel in downtown Los Angeles, California has sickened art least six people, according to the Alameda County Health Department. The hotel was the site of a union delegate conference and was held from August 21 to August 24, 2023. The only conference we could find that was scheduled at that time was the Coalition of Kaiser Permanence Union Delegate Conference at the Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles at 404 South Figueroa Street. More than 300 people attended that conference. As of August 31, 2023, the California Department of Public Health is reporting six shigellosis cases from local California local health jurisdictions among event attendees. At least three out of the six cases were PCR+ for Shigella. Culture and additional sub typing tests are … [Read more...]
Shigellosis Outbreak in Lavaca County, Texas Announced
A shigellosis outbreak in Lavaca County, Texas has been announced by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Officials are investigating this outbreak. No source of the pathogen has been declared and there is no mention of how many people are sick or if anyone has been hospitalized. There is also no patient age range mentioned. Officials are interviewing patients and are collecting food samples from a location where "multiple individuals" ate before they got sick. The last Shigella outbreak in the United States was linked to Tamarind Tree in Seattle, Washington earlier this year. At least 32 people were sickened in that outbreak. This bacteria causes about a half million illnesses in the United States every year. This infection is highly contagious and is spread through … [Read more...]
Now 32 Sick in Tamarind Tree Shigella Outbreak in Seattle
There are now 32 people sick in the Tamarind Tree Shigella outbreak in Seattle, Washington, according to King County Public Health. The case count has more than doubled, from 17 patients, since the last update on February 1, 2023. The restaurant is located at 1036 South Jackson Street A in Seattle. The patients ate at the restaurant on January 14, 15, 16, and 17 in 2023. Symptoms experienced include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, fever, chills, and vomiting. Symptoms starting manifesting from January 17 through the 20th in 2023. Ten of the 32 patients have tested positive for Shigella. Six cases have confirmatory testing indicating they were sickened with Shigella sonnei, a species of this pathogen. Symptoms among those who have not been tested are suggestive of a Shigella … [Read more...]
Tamarind Tree Shigella Outbreak in Seattle, WA Sickens 17
A Tamarind Tree Shigella outbreak in Seattle, Washington has sickened at least 17 people, according to King County Public Health. This outbreak was first reported in late January, 2023, when the pathogen that caused the illnesses was unknown. The restaurant is located at 1036 South Jackson Street A in Seattle. The 17 patients were part of seven separate meal parties that ate at that restaurant on these dates: January 15, 16, and 17, 2023. No ill employees have been identified. Five of the 17 people who are sick have tested positive for Shigella. Three of those five patients have had confirmatory testing indicating they are infected with Shigella sonnei, one strain of this pathogen. Symptoms among those who were not tested are suggestive of a Shigella infection. The patients are … [Read more...]
Kansas Shigella Outbreak at Splash Pad Sickened 21 in June 2021
A Kansas shigella outbreak at a splash pad in June 2021 sickened at least 21 people, according to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for the week of August 5, 2022. The splash pad was located in a Kansas wildlife park. There were actually two outbreaks: One involving shigella, and the other was a norovirus outbreak. Getting splash pad water in the mouth was associated with the illnesses. The shigella outbreak was linked to visits on June 11, 2021, and the norovirus outbreak was linked to visits on June 18, 2021. The contributing factors were inadequate disinfection, equipment, and training. The park has animal exhibits and a splash pad. In June 2021, Kansas state and county public health officials identified three cases of … [Read more...]
