The Minnesota Department of Health and Douglas County Environmental Health investigated the E. coli outbreak, and identified five cases of E. coli O157:H7 associated with the consumption of food at the Alexandria China Buffet restaurant in late August of 2001. Through inspections, the two public health agencies were unable to determine the specific food vehicle that was contaminated with E. coli, and MDH concluded in part, “Due to the opportunity for cross-contamination, multiple contaminated dishes could have resulted from a single contaminated product. A single product used in multiple dishes could not be ruled out.”
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Marler Clark filed an E. coli lawsuit on behalf of the woman in November of 2001, and resolved her claim for an undisclosed amount. The E. coli attorneys have since represented dozens of Minnesotans in E. coli and other foodborne illness lawsuits and legal claims.