bimmer jon
12-04-2006, 10:37 AM
being that one of the resturants where people have gotten e.coli is right down the street from me, i figured i'd post the article here
http://www.wnbc.com/health/10452745/detail.html
Looks like 19 people got e.coli from 3 different taco bells in Edison, South Plainfield and Somerset.
E. Coli Outbreak Sickens At Least 19 In Central Jersey
POSTED: 1:02 pm EST December 3, 2006
UPDATED: 10:54 am EST December 4, 2006
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NEWARK, N.J. -- At least 19 people were sickened, two seriously, by an E. coli outbreak in central New Jersey over the past two weeks, officials said.
"It's a significant outbreak and it's a serious disease," Middlesex County Director of Health David Papi said Sunday.
Seven of the victims were still in area hospitals Sunday night. Two of them, a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old, had developed a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome that can permanently damage the kidneys.
Two of the confirmed victims were adults, 21 and 23 years old, while the others were children, Papi said. All the victims came from towns in Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties.
Middlesex Health officials told NewsChannel 4 that 11 of the 19 victims ate at one of three Taco Bell restaurants in central New Jersey: 9 at one in South Plainfield, 1 at the restaurant in Edison, and 1 at the Somerset Taco Bell.
They said most victims were under 17, with the youngest being 1 year old.
The first outbreak occurred on November 28, and the most recent was on Sunday morning.
Investigators were still trying to figure out how and where the victims became infected. Eleven of the 15 victims ate at a Taco Bell restaurant in South Plainfield that was voluntarily closed on Thursday while the investigation continued.
Papi said an inspection of the restaurant last week did not show any significant health code violations. Tests were being performed on stool samples from 21 restaurant employees.
Officials, who were still looking for a few other employees from the restaurant, hoped to have results late Sunday night or Monday.
Rob Poetsch, a spokesman for Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corp., issued a statement saying the restaurant and its food has been tested by the Middlesex County Health Department and was given a clean bill of health. He added that employees are required to adhere to strict food handling rules.
"We have taken every precaution, including temporarily closing the restaurant until the investigation is completed, as nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and employees," Poetsch said.
E. coli, short for Escherichia coli, is a common and ordinarily harmless intestinal bacteria.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the strain of E. coli that has caused these infections is often found in the intestines of healthy goats, sheep and cattle. Most E. coli infections are associated with undercooked meat.
However, E. coli is also found in sprouts or green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Earlier this year, three people died and more than 200 fell ill from an E. coli outbreak that was traced back to packaged spinach from California.
E. coli can also be found in the stool of infected people and can be passed from person to person if people don't take steps such as thoroughly washing their hands. It is often passed among toddlers who aren't toilet trained, the CDC reported.
People usually fall ill a few days after exposure with symptoms usually including bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, although not everyone displays symptoms.
http://www.wnbc.com/health/10452745/detail.html
Looks like 19 people got e.coli from 3 different taco bells in Edison, South Plainfield and Somerset.
E. Coli Outbreak Sickens At Least 19 In Central Jersey
POSTED: 1:02 pm EST December 3, 2006
UPDATED: 10:54 am EST December 4, 2006
Email This Story | Print This Story
NEWARK, N.J. -- At least 19 people were sickened, two seriously, by an E. coli outbreak in central New Jersey over the past two weeks, officials said.
"It's a significant outbreak and it's a serious disease," Middlesex County Director of Health David Papi said Sunday.
Seven of the victims were still in area hospitals Sunday night. Two of them, a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old, had developed a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome that can permanently damage the kidneys.
Two of the confirmed victims were adults, 21 and 23 years old, while the others were children, Papi said. All the victims came from towns in Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties.
Middlesex Health officials told NewsChannel 4 that 11 of the 19 victims ate at one of three Taco Bell restaurants in central New Jersey: 9 at one in South Plainfield, 1 at the restaurant in Edison, and 1 at the Somerset Taco Bell.
They said most victims were under 17, with the youngest being 1 year old.
The first outbreak occurred on November 28, and the most recent was on Sunday morning.
Investigators were still trying to figure out how and where the victims became infected. Eleven of the 15 victims ate at a Taco Bell restaurant in South Plainfield that was voluntarily closed on Thursday while the investigation continued.
Papi said an inspection of the restaurant last week did not show any significant health code violations. Tests were being performed on stool samples from 21 restaurant employees.
Officials, who were still looking for a few other employees from the restaurant, hoped to have results late Sunday night or Monday.
Rob Poetsch, a spokesman for Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corp., issued a statement saying the restaurant and its food has been tested by the Middlesex County Health Department and was given a clean bill of health. He added that employees are required to adhere to strict food handling rules.
"We have taken every precaution, including temporarily closing the restaurant until the investigation is completed, as nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and employees," Poetsch said.
E. coli, short for Escherichia coli, is a common and ordinarily harmless intestinal bacteria.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the strain of E. coli that has caused these infections is often found in the intestines of healthy goats, sheep and cattle. Most E. coli infections are associated with undercooked meat.
However, E. coli is also found in sprouts or green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Earlier this year, three people died and more than 200 fell ill from an E. coli outbreak that was traced back to packaged spinach from California.
E. coli can also be found in the stool of infected people and can be passed from person to person if people don't take steps such as thoroughly washing their hands. It is often passed among toddlers who aren't toilet trained, the CDC reported.
People usually fall ill a few days after exposure with symptoms usually including bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, although not everyone displays symptoms.
