Twenty people who recently ate at the Red Door Coffee restaurant in Nebraska became sick and have been with confirmed Salmonella infections.
Another eight people who also ate at the cafe became sick with what authorities suspect is salmonellosis, according to the Elkhart Logan Valley Public Health Department. The department is seeking the public’s help to find the source of the bacteria.
“So far, all confirmed cases have one common factor, which is dining at Red Door Coffee in West Point,” according to an update posted by the local health department Thursday. “Red Door Coffee owners and staff are fully cooperating with the investigation.”
The outbreak update did not report dates of illness onset or whether any of the 28 sick people have required hospitalization. Investigators with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services are assisting local officials, but as of Thursday evening they were not suggesting any suspected root sources of the Salmonella bacteria.
“Anyone who ate at Red Door Coffee July 14-29 is asked to complete a brief survey that will help ELVPHD and DHHS in this investigation,” according to the local health department notice. “The survey may be found at: https://han.ne.gov/survey/rdc.”
Even people who did not become ill after eating at the restaurant during the second half of July are urged to complete the survey to help eliminate foods as possible sources of the Salmonella bacteria.
Red Door Coffee patrons who dined at the cafe recently and became ill should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella so the proper diagnostic tests can be performed.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. In some cases the diarrhea may be so severe that a person needs to be hospitalized. People at highest risk for salmonella infection include: children under 5 years old, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Salmonella is caused by a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, according to public health officials. It is usually spread to humans by eating contaminated food, including beef, poultry, milk, eggs or vegetables. Thorough cooking kills salmonella.
Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department first alerted the public to the Salmonella outbreak on Wednesday when there were 15 confirmed cases and six probable cases. The initial outbreak announcement did not name Red Door Coffee.
The cafe in West Point, NE, just opened for business this past spring.
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