The Kane County Health Department in Illinois said Friday that it had confirmed three more Salmonella infections linked to a St. Charles restaurant, pushing the outbreak total to 13.
Nine of the 13 patients reported eating at Portillo’s restaurant in April. Nine of the case patients are female and four are male; their ages range from 17 to 64. Three of the patients were hospitalized, but all have since been released.
According to the health department, the restaurant cleaned and sanitized its building Monday night and discarded all food items, except for samples collected to send to the state lab for testing.
The restaurant has also assumed the cost of testing the store’s employees, the health department reported. Results from those tests are expected early next week. None of the employees will be allowed to return to work until they have had two tests showing they are not infected.
Portillo’s has transferred employees from other locations and remains open.
Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment or ever visiting a doctor.
Anyone who ate at the St. Charles Portillo’s between April 15 and May 6 and had or currently has these symptoms is urged to call the Kane County Health Department at 847-608-2128, or visit their personal physician.