E. coli count keeps rising Health: Investigation pinpoints eatery E. coli count keeps rising near Locust Grove
By John David Sutter
Published: August 29, 2008
A state investigation into an E. coli bacteria outbreak in northeast Oklahoma is now focused exclusively on the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, the state Health Department confirmed Thursday.
Advertisement
The department says an unusual strain of E. coli is to blame for at least 73 illnesses, 50 hospitalizations and one death. That toll has risen each day since the outbreak became public Monday.
Victims have become sick with severe stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. At least 12 of the victims are children, according to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, and several are undergoing dialysis.
The bacteria found in connection with the outbreak are part of a group of toxin-producing E. coli that is highly contagious. As few as 10 bacteria can make a person sick, state epidemiologist Kristy Bradley said. People should wash their hands before preparing food and after using the rest room to avoid contamination. If you come down with severe diarrhea, medical officials recommend you seek immediate medical help.
"We strongly recommend to the public that they wash their hands frequently, particularly after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and preparing food. Persons who are sick with diarrhea should not be involved in food preparation,” Bradley said in a statement.
She added: "Take the time to clean hands and food preparation surfaces frequently, keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods, cook foods to proper temperatures, and refrigerate leftover foods quickly.”
The state Health Department says it will continue testing to find out exactly how food served at the Country Cottage restaurant became contaminated. A spokeswoman for the restaurant said Wednesday it is unclear when the restaurant will open again. Two restaurant employees are among the ill, Bradley said, adding that they could have become sick from the restaurant's food, or may have caused the contamination.
The state also sent stool samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for further analysis. The state could not determine the exact type of E. coli present.
Bradley said Wednesday it will be easier to pinpoint a source of the outbreak once the CDC tests are complete.
The state Department of Environmental Quality is testing water in the area, but has not released results.
•Wash your hands carefully with soap before you start cooking.
•Cook ground beef until you see no pink anywhere.
•Don't taste small bites of raw ground beef while you're cooking.
•Cook all hamburgers to at least 155°F. A meat thermometer can help you test your burgers.
•Defrost meats in the refrigerator or the microwave.
•Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods.
•Don't drink raw milk.
•Keep food refrigerated or frozen.
•People with diarrhea should wash their hands carefully and often, using hot water and soap, and washing for at least 30 seconds.
•In restaurants, always order hamburgers that are cooked well done so that no pink shows.
Related to this story
Articles
Locust Grove restaurant's well water tests positive... 08/29/2008 Well water at the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove — which has become the focus of a deadly E. coli outbreak investigation — tested positive...
