Officials OK reopening restaurant linked to E. coli outbreak

October 22—Health officials today approved the reopening of the Lake Stevens restaurant that investigators had linked to an E. coli outbreak that had sickened 17. The restaurant Ixtapa at 303 – 91st Ave. NE in Lake Stevens, north of Seattle had shut its doors voluntarily yesterday (Oct. 21) in order to sanitize the entire restaurant and remove all open food.

“They threw out all food that was not in sealed original containers, sanitized the kitchen work surfaces, non-work surfaces, utensils, all customer areas, and also replaced cutting boards,” Rick Zahalka, Food Program Manager for Snohomish Health District said in a statement released by the District . All employees all were retrained in all aspects of food safety, he said.

An investigation to identify exactly which food was the source of the infection is underway.

E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Some strains, however, can cause illness. One E. coli strain, for example, is a common cause of traveler’s diarrhea.

But another, more dangerous strain—E. coli O157:H7—can cause bloody diarrhea, kidney failure and death. Children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to these complications.

E. coli can be spread by eating contaminated food or swimming in contaminated water. Outbreaks have also been linked to daycare centers and petting zoos. 

To avoid infection, health officials recommend cooking meat well, washing fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them, avoiding unpasteurized milk and juices, and hand washing whenever there has been contact with human or animal feces.

The press release from the Snohomish Health District is below.

Public Health approves Lake Stevens Ixtapa to reopen today

Media coverage prompts more patrons to step forward for illness interviews

EVERETT, Wash. – Snohomish Health District today, Oct. 22, approved the reopening of a Snohomish County restaurant found to be the common food source for 17 people who recently were ill with E. coli infection.

Ixtapa restaurant, 303 – 91^st Ave. NE, Lake Stevens, Wash., voluntarily closed its doors to business on Oct. 21 to comply with Snohomish Health District directives to sanitize the entire restaurant and dispose of opened food. The freshly scrubbed establishment plans to reopen as soon as shipments of menu ingredients arrive.

“They threw out all food that was not in sealed original containers, sanitized the kitchen work surfaces, non-work surfaces, utensils, all customer areas, and also replaced cutting boards,” said Rick Zahalka, Food Program Manager for Snohomish Health District. All employees all were retrained in all aspects of food safety, he said.

Public health disease investigators continue interviewing patrons about what they ate to try to identify the particular food that made them sick.

Media coverage of the outbreak prompted several residents to contact the local public health agency, disclosing that they had been ill with E. coli symptoms following a meal at Ixtapa. As of noon, Oct. 22, the number of people ill following a meal there is now 17 of 19 people interviewed, up from 13 of 17 on Oct. 21. Four people were hospitalized briefly, but all now are recovering at home.

To reduce the risk of E. coli infection the District advises:

1. Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Make sure children also wash their hands well.
    
2. Wash hands well before and after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat.
    
3. Wash hands thoroughly after handling animals or pets and their waste.
    
4. Cook all meat, especially ground beef, thoroughly. Cook ground beef to 155 degrees. Make certain that cooked meat is gray or brown (not pink).
    
5. Clean all utensils and surfaces after contact with raw meat.
    
6. Use only pasteurized milk and milk products.
    
7. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
    
8. Keep infected children away from other children and the elderly.
    
9. Do not drink untreated water.

To learn more:

• Visit the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s webpage on E. coli: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli
• Visit CDC’s page on Healthy Pets that has information about animal exposure to E. coli: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ecoli.htm
• Visit the information page on E. coli O:157 on the Public Health – Seattle & King County website where they have information in Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Somalian and Vietnamese.

Tags: E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness

Category: Digestive System, Infections, Public Health