E. coli outbreak tracked to Bend restaurant

Teresa Bell of KGW News reports that the Deschutes County Public Health Department has confirmed two cases of E. coli infection out of 18 people who have developed similar symptoms after eating at McGrath’s Fish House in Bend, Indiana.
Symptoms include severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, or inability to keep fluids down.
People who think they may have been infected were cautioned not to take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal agents, such as loperamide or antibiotics, because these medicines may increase the risk of complications.
E. coli produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness but it usually resolves in five to 10 days without specific treatment. The infections may be spread from a variety of food products, most commonly undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk and apple cider, other foods cross-contaminated with raw beef, and untreated water.
E. coli can also be spread person-to-person, primarily within households. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom can help reduce cross-contamination amongst family members.