Salmonella outbreaks at Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota and at the Fig & Olive restaurant in Washington, D.C. have sickened at least 115 people. Both outbreaks are currently ongoing and both outbreaks will most likely increase as more cases are identified.
It can take up to four weeks for Salmonella infections to be reported to public health officials. After a person gets sick, they visit their doctor and laboratory tests are conducted on stool samples. If the samples test positive for Salmonella, that infection is reported to authorities.
The Salmonella outbreak at Chipotle restaurants has been going on since mid-August. Of the 34 people interviewed so far by officials, 32 ate or likely ate at 17 different Chipotle restaurants around the state. Those locations are Bloomington, Crystal, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Richfield, Ridgedale, Rochester, Shoreview, St. Cloud, St. Louis Park, St. Paul Lawson, and in Minneapolis 7 Corners, Calhoun, Uptown, and US Bank Plaza.
Investigators believe that the outbreak may be linked to produce served raw to customers. More information may be released this afternoon. In the past, Salmonella outbreaks at restaurants have been linked to tomatoes, cucumbers, and bean sprouts.
In the Salmonella outbreak at the Fig & Olive, officials say that more than 60 people are sick, and an additional 150 possible cases are being investigated. Ten cases have been lab-confirmed. Food and environmental samples have been tested, but have come back negative according to some news reports. One sample was resubmitted for further testing.
The restaurant was closed for six days, but will reopen today, according to the Washington D.C. Department of Health. The DOH states that Fig & Olive has met requirements to reopen and “removed all conditions that may have contributed to the Salmonella outbreak.” The restaurant was in violation of some food safety regulations. They have destroyed their current food inventory, provided evidence and clean-up of the kitchen and the premises, and verified employee health and food safety training.
Whether or not a source is found, the number of people who ate at the Fig & Olive restaurant and got sick is statistically significant. People sickened in either of these outbreaks may have personal injury claims against the restaurants in question.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, nausea, abdominal cramps and pain, fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. Most people start feeling ill within six to seventy-two hours exposure to the bacteria. While most people have a mild illness that will resolve within a few days, some patients become so sick they must be hospitalized.
If you have been sickened and are part of either of these outbreaks, please call our experienced lawyers to protect your legal rights. Even if your case is mild, long term complications from this infection can be serious. People can develop reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome after suffering from a Salmonella infection.