Oregon Chipotle E. coli Update – The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported today that a total of 12 cases of Shiga toxin E. coli food poisoning linked to eating at Chipotle restaurants in the Portland Metro area have been confirmed. Many people affected by food poisoning may not seek health care, so the number of people sickened in this outbreak is likely higher.
Among the cases, three patients were hospitalized, reported Katrina Hedberg, MD, state health officer with OHA’s Public Health Division. There have been no deaths. People in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties, as well as Columbia, Benton and Deschutes counties have reported symptoms.
Oregon Health Authority Advice To The Public
Health officials want people who have eaten at a Chipotle during October 2015, and become ill with vomiting and bloody diarrhea, to see their health care provider and mention this outbreak.
The OHA also advised the public of the following symptoms that can be related to E. coli food poisoning:
“Most people infected develop watery or bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps within one to 10 days, with the average three to four days. Most illnesses resolve on their own within seven days. Most people recover within a week but, rarely, some develop a severe type of kidney failure which can begin as the diarrhea is improving and is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly.”
A Stool Culture Can Confirm E. Coli Infection
A diagnosis of E. coli foodborne illness can usually be confirmed by performing a stool culture, a type of laboratory test that can detect the presence of the pathogenic bacterium in an infected person’s stool. Be sure to mention to your doctor that you ate at Chipotle, so he or she can order a stool culture if appropriate.
The Chipotle Outbreak Investigation Continues
The Oregon Health Authority, Washington State Department of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working with local public health departments in the Portland metro region, and in other Oregon counties on the outbreak investigation. The outbreak source has yet to be identified.
Chipotle Restaurants In Oregon and Washington Close Due To Outbreak
As a result of the outbreak, Chipotle has closed at least 14 of its restaurants in the Portland metro area (Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties). Dozens of Chipotle restaurants were closed in Washington state as well.
Contact The Weinberg Law Firm For A Free E. coli Lawsuit Case Evaluation
If you have been diagnosed with E. coli food poisoning, are awaiting confirmation of infection, or have a question regarding your legal rights, you can request a free food posioning lawsuit case evaluation by calling The Weinberg Law Firm toll free at 1-877-934-6274. You can also contact us online by using the “Free Legal Case Evaluation Form” found on this page.
