Category Archives: outbreak

USA – WildFin American Grill linked to Norovirus Outbreak

Posted on August 12, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

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Summary

Seattle King County Department of Public Health is investigating an outbreak of norovirus-like illness with vomiting, diarrhoea, body aches, and chills associated with WildFin American Grill in Renton.

We have not yet identified how norovirus was spread within the restaurant. This is not uncommon for norovirus outbreaks, because the virus can spread through multiple contaminated food items, environmental surfaces, and from person to person.

Illnesses

Since August 2, 2021, 10 people from three meal parties reported becoming ill after consuming food from WildFin American Grill on July 29, 2021.

We have identified one ill employee so far who experienced symptoms consistent with norovirus dating back to August 4, 2021, but who did not work while contagious. Further investigation is ongoing.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Norovirus, outbreak, Virus

UK – Norovirus outbreak at Worthing nursery

Posted on August 12, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Worthing Herald

Norovirus Food Safety kswfoodworld

Home from Home, in Grand Avenue, is still operating as usual, however it is reminding all parents that if their child has norovirus symptoms, they must isolate for 48 hours to prevent further spread of the virus.

A spokeswoman from Home from Home nursery said: “The nursery is still operating as usual.

“D and V is transmitting in the community at present and as a setting with 230 children on the register then we are experiencing cases as you would expect.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Virus

Ukraine – Ukraine reports 50 gastrointestinal infection outbreaks in first seven months

Posted on August 12, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

Ukraine health officials report since the beginning of this year and as of August 1, 604 people, including 447 children, have been affected by outbreaks of intestinal infections. A total of 50 outbreaks were registered.

In July 2021 alone, 137 people fell ill, including 98 children. A total of 12 outbreaks of infectious diseases were recorded :

  • 6 outbreaks of acute intestinal infections of unknown etiology, during which 71 people were sickened, including 54 children;
  • 3 outbreaks of salmonellosis , 34 people were sickened, including 15 children;
  • 2 outbreaks of rotavirus enteritis , 29 people were sickened, including 28 children;
  • one outbreak of viral hepatitis A , 3 people were sickened, including 1 child;
  • Epidemiological investigation and anti-epidemic measures are underway for 4 more outbreaks.

The largest number of outbreaks in July occurred in children’s health facilities and institutions with organized recreation for groups of children (33.3%) and in everyday life (25.0%). The remaining outbreaks occurred in children’s preschools (16.7%), catering establishments (16.7%) and in health care establishments (8.3%).

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Rotavirus, Salmonella

USA – Clostridium perfringens is bug that hit South Peninsula Hospital in Anchorage Alaska

Posted on August 11, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

CDC Clost perf

Image CDC

Morgan Krakow of the Anchorage Daily News reported that Health officials have traced the source of a foodborne illness outbreak that sickened dozens of hospital workers in Homer to a single item, the Department of Health and Social Services said in a release Monday.

It was a Cubano sandwich, experts who investigated the incident think. In fact, it was probably the pulled pork inside of it, said Jeremy Ayers, section manager with the Food Safety and Sanitation Program within the Division of Environmental Health.

When investigating an outbreak, epidemiologists look at people’s symptoms and when they began. They start to form an idea of what dish was the likely offender. In this case a lot of signs pointed to the Cubano, Ayers said.

“[The] statistics that they came up with were pretty compelling that that sandwich was the implicated food item,” Ayers said.

Experts determined that the Homer incident likely involved a pathogen associated with cooked meat and poultry called Clostridium perfringens.

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Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Clostridium, Clostridium perfringens, Exotoxin, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Poisoning, Toxin

Russia – Norovirus outbreak sickens dozens of children onboard train

Posted on August 11, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

norovirus-2(1)

“87 children who were poisoned on the Murmansk-Adler train are being treated in the hospitals of the Kuban. As of August 8, there are 67 minors in Tuapse CRH # 1 with intestinal infection, in Apsheronskaya – 12, in Belorechenskaya – 8. Doctors assess the condition of children as mild and moderate”.

A  criminal case was opened on the fact of poisoning the children. The employee of the restaurant car, where the children ate before the poisoning, was  suspended  from work.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, Virus

USA – Jellystone Park Camp Resort-Yogi on the Lake E. coli O157 Outbreak

Posted on August 10, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has identified several cases of E. coli O157 infection associated with use of the swimming pool and/or splashpad at the Jellystone Park Camp Resort-Yogi on the Lake in Pelahatchie, Miss.

The cases identified so far have exposure dates on the weekend of July 30th through August 1st, but additional exposures may have occurred through August 9, 2021. The pool and splashpad were closed on August 9, 2021.

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Posted in Contaminated water, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Spain – La Manga hotel kitchen closed following food poisoning outbreak

Posted on August 9, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Murcia Today

Public Health has temporarily closed the kitchen of the Doblemar Hotel, located on the Gran Via in La Manga del Mar Menor, after 63 guests were taken ill with food poisoning. Sources have since revealed that the outbreak was originally detected on July 25, but that more cases were reported in recent days and the kitchen was shut this week while the source of the contamination is investigated.
While many of those affected have suffered only mild symptoms, such as nausea, fever or vomiting, as many as 20 of the guests have had to be admitted to hospital.
Food poisoning, or norovirus infection, usually causes gastroenteritis, the most common symptoms of which are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Most people develop symptoms 12 to 48 hours after contracting norovirus, and they can last up to three days. Contagion occurs by coming into direct contact with an infected person, by consuming intoxicated food or water and by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth with the hands. There is no specific drug against this virus, and doctors recommend drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak

USA – Suspected foodborne illness sickens nearly 80 employees at Homer hospital

Posted on August 9, 2021 by | Leave a comment

ADN

State epidemiologists are investigating the source of a suspected foodborne illness outbreak that sickened dozens of hospital employees in the Kenai Peninsula community of Homer on Friday.

Almost 80 employees at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer were sickened with a gastrointestinal illness by Saturday morning, said hospital information officer Derotha Ferraro.

Everyone who got sick had eaten food brought in as employee meals from a variety of local food establishments, health officials wrote.

The main symptoms reported included diarrhea and stomach cramps. Most of the people who reported symptoms started feeling sick on Thursday night into Friday morning, according to the Department of Health and Social Services.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak

USA – Portillo’s in Glendale Heights linked to E. coli outbreak

Posted on August 9, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Chicago Tribune reported todays that the Illinois Department of Public Health is looking into whether a recent E. coli outbreak is linked to a Portillo’s in Glendale Heights, authorities said Friday.

Four cases of a toxin producing the bacteria and one case of a resultant blood syndrome stemmed from customers eating at the Portillo’s at 235 E. North Ave. in Glendale Heights on July 16 and 17, IDPH wrote in a health alert.

The “possible issue” came from four customers during that time period, Portillo’s spokeswoman Sara Wirth wrote in a Saturday statement. She said the company reexamined its food safety protocols after learning of the outbreak.

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Posted in E.coli, escherichia coli, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak

USA – FDA begins testing cake mixes in search of specific product in E. coli outbreak

Posted on August 6, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

They have not yet named any specific brands or flavors of cake mix related to an outbreak of E. coli infections, but federal officials have begun product testing in relation to the illnesses.

Sixteen people across 12 states have been confirmed as being infected, with seven requiring hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Illnesses began Feb. 26 with the most recent one beginning June 21. 

More patients will likely be identified, according to federal officials because of the long shelf life of cake mixes and the time lag between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is confirmed and reported to the CDC.

The Food and Drug Administration has been working with the CDC on the outbreak investigation and reported on Aug. 4 that the agency has begun product testing. The FDA has also initiated traceback efforts and onsite inspections. However no producer or specific products have been named by the FDA or CDC.

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Posted in E.coli, escherichia coli, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Research