An E. coli outbreak initially linked to a restaurant in Seattle is now being investigated as a multi-state outbreak with cases confirmed in four states. In addition to seven Washington residents reported last week in connection with the Matador restaurant in Seattle, the outbreak has also sickened people in Colorado, Idaho and New York.
Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington state Department of Health confirmed Monday that each of the other three states has at least one outbreak victim each, bringing the total to 10 people infected. All 10 victims were infected with the same strain of E. coli, according to state and federal officials. As of Monday officials reported one of the out-of-state patients reported eating at the Matador restaurant in Seattle during the outbreak time frame. Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the CDC, said Monday that the federal agency is assisting Washington’s health department. The state agency is leading the investigation at this point, but had nothing new to report as of Monday afternoon. The Matador restaurant, which was closed Sept. 9 by the Seattle & King County health department, was cleared to reopen on Sept. 15. The outbreak victims who dined at the Matador before becoming ill ate at the restaurant on Aug. 14 and 22, according to Seattle and King County officials. The restaurant chain has locations in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada and Idaho, according to its website. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
