Tag Archives: Outbreaks

by | May 22, 2013 · 6:49 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: North Carolina Hotel And Restaurant Sued By Woman “Sickened By Salmonella Infection”; Lawsuit Claims Failure To Maintain Sanitary Conditions Of Food

“…(the plaintiff), who claims to have become ill after eating at the hotel restaurant, filed a lawsuit in the Cumberland County Superior Court Salmonella Enteritidisalleging the hotel owners served food that was ‘not fit for human consumption’…she also alleges that the defendant failed to ‘maintain and monitor the sanitary conditions of it’s food, drink, water, premises and employees’…”

A Fayetteville woman is seeking in excess of $10,000 in damages after she claims she became sick after eating at a restaurant at a Holiday Inn. Last week the Cumberland County Department of Public Health alerted the public of a possible salmonella outbreak after dozens of people claimed to have gotten sick after eating at the Holiday Inn Fayetteville – Bordeaux.

The Cumberland County Department of Public Health says at least 70 people have reported signs or symptoms consistent with salmonella infections and five people were hospitalized. Twelve of those who reported symptoms are out of state. All of the people appear to have eaten at the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux within the hotel.

Health officials are worried that the outbreak could spread nationwide because the hotel is alongside Interstate 95.

For more:  http://www.wncn.com/story/22309597/woman-files-lawsuit-against-fayetteville-hotel-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak

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by | October 14, 2012 · 7:07 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Washington Restaurant Closed Down By Health Department After Confirmation Of Salmonella Poisoning

“…(the Health Department) closed the restaurant this morning as a further precaution to reduce the risk of Salmonella spreading to others. Our staff is interviewing employees and patrons to learn more about the possible source of this outbreak, such as a contaminated food source.”

The Clark County Public Health Department is closing the On the Border Mexican restaurant in Vancouver, Washington after an outbreak of Salmonellaamong patrons. The restaurant is located at 1505 SE 164th Avenue. So far, there are 11 confirmed cases and 5 probable cases associated with this outbreak. Public health officials are asking that anyone who ate at the restaurant between September 20 and October 8, 2012 and experiencing symptoms of salmonellosis contact a health care provider.

The symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning include diarrhea, which may be bloody, fever, chills, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. People usually become ill one to three days after infection. Attorney Elliot Olsen said, “facilities that sell food are supposed to ensure that their product is safe. Food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria is not fit to eat.”

Since Salmonella infections can spread person-to-person, government officials are stressing the need for thorough hand-washing after using the bathroom, and before and during food preparation. Anyone who is ill should stay home and not prepare food until their symptoms have disappeared.

For more:  http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2012/vancouver-wa-mexican-restaurant-on-the-border-closed-after-salmonella-outbreak/

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by | June 19, 2012 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Oregon Hotel Sued For $26,000 By Guest Sickened By Hollandaise Sauce Served At Breakfast

“…(the hotel’s owner) settled complaints by two people in the outbreak…negotiations on the Stanley case deadlocked, prompting Falkenstein to file a lawsuit earlier this month in Multnomah County Circuit Court…(since becoming ill) he has racked up nearly $14,000 in medical expenses, according to the lawsuit. He is seeking to recover those expenses plus at least $26,000 in noneconomic damages…”

According to a state outbreak investigation, the 83-year-old six-term commissioner from North Carolina was one of seven people sickened after breakfast that morning at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Northeast Portland. All of them ate eggs benedict. An eighth person, who ordered eggs benedict but had the hollandaise sauce on the side and didn’t consume it, felt fine.  No one else got sick, pointing to the hollandaise sauce as the culprit.

But lab tests confirmed that Stanley — and another person hospitalized in the outbreak — were sickened by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus,  a bacterium commonly found on the skin and in the noses of healthy people. Certain strains produce toxins that can spark quick and acute gastro-intestinal symptoms.

Dr. Mathieu Tourdjman, lead Oregon epidemiologist investigating the outbreak, said the sauce became toxic because it was not kept hot enough. Unlike many other pathogens, the toxins produced by Staph cannot be killed by cooking. The only way to prevent foodborne Staph infections is by thorough hand washing and proper cooking. Food safety advocates recommend keeping cooked food warm at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

For more:  http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/06/portland_visitor_says_hotels_h.html

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by | May 1, 2012 · 7:54 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: $6 Million "Negligence Lawsuit" Filed Against Maryland Hotel After "Legionnaires' Disease" Outbreak Confirmed In Water System

“…The lawsuit seeks damages of $6 million dollars, $5 million for negligence and $1 million for loss of consortium…”

“…The Virginia resident who filed the claim reportedly spent 6 weeks in the hospital suffering a number of severe medical conditions and that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills…”

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the illnesses in October 2011, which occurred after the individuals stayed at an Ocean City hotel. The hotel was later closed for several days to perform tests on the water systems to try and locate the bacteria that cause the disease.  Earlier this month, it was reported that one of those who contracted Legionnaires’ disease while staying at the hotel has filed a lawsuit against the hotel. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB7g81JxCq0]

  • Each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease in the U.S.
  • It is believed that many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be significantly higher.
  • More cases are usually found in the summer and early fall, but it can occur any time of year.
  • “Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella bacteria,”
  • “Legionella bacteria can sometimes be found in manmade environments that contain warm water. 
  • These may include hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, or parts of the air-conditioning systems in large buildings. 
  • Proactive testing for Legionella can help prevent outbreaks of the disease. 
  • If an outbreak has occurred, testing for the bacteria can pinpoint sources of the potentially deadly pathogen to prevent further illnesses,”

For more:  http://www.environmental-expert.com/news/victim-of-legionnaires-disease-files-lawsuit-against-maryland-hotel-292018

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by | January 20, 2012 · 1:18 am

Hospitality Industry Food Risks: Mexican Restaurant Chain Is Source Of "Salmonella" Outbreak; Food Contamination "Likely" Occurred Prior To Reaching Chain

Investigative efforts were unable to identify a specific food associated with illness, but data indicate that contamination likely occurred before the product reached Restaurant Chain A locations.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections which was associated with eating food from a Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A. This outbreak now appears to be over.

Public health investigators used DNA “fingerprints” of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

For more:  http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/multi-state-salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-unnamed-mexican-restaurant-chain/

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by | July 6, 2011 · 8:23 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Risks Of Dangerous "E. Coli" Outbreaks In Hotel Pools Increase As Chlorine Levels Decrease, pH Levels Rise Due To "Sunlight, Dirt And Material From Swimmers' Bodies"

“Because of the risk for outbreak of illness, it is essential that public pools and water parks follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for adequate chlorine and pH levels.”

Sunlight, dirt, debris and material from swimmers’ bodies can all reduce chlorine levels in pool water. That is why chlorine levels must be routinely measured. As pH goes up, the ability of chlorine to kill germs goes down, so pH levels also need to be tested. Specific regulations regarding testing timetables and testing procedures would prevent illness.

“…E. coli O157 can cause severe dehydration, hemorrhagic colitis (may require removal of part of the colon), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), sometimes referred to as E. coli kidney failure. In addition to uremia and renal failure, HUS can cause seizures, strokes, encephalopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart attack and heart failure, blindness, paralysis, pancreatitis and death…”

E. coli attorney Fred Pritzker is calling for better regulations for public swimming pools after fifteen people were sickened at the Opelika SportsPlex and Aquatic Center in Opelika, Alabama. Parents should be able to bring their children to a public swimming facility without the children getting exposed to E. coli O157 or another dangerous pathogen,” said Pritzker. “Better regulations regarding chlorine and pH testing would help prevent E. colioutbreaks.”

To date, thirteen children and two adults who either played in the Splash Park or swam in the pool at the Opelika SportsPlex and Aquatic Center between June 4 and June 22 were identified with severe gastrointestinal illness consistent with E. coli O157 poisoning. Five children have been confirmed positive for E. coli O157:H7 infection.

Four children were hospitalized, and two remain hospitalized. “Based on the information that we have now, it appears that the common source of exposure was the Aquatic Center,” said State Health Officer Dr. Donald Williamson.

For more:  http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110630006874/en/E.-coli-Lawyer-Calls-Regulations-Wake-Opelika

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by | July 19, 2010 · 7:54 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Outbreak Of Norovirus At Hotels And Restaurants Can Be Minimized With Antimicrobial Technology

“Ultimately, the impact an outbreak has on a hotel’s reputation could be devastating. Norovirus, for example, can be particularly dangerous for the elderly or very young, especially if customers have underlying health problems. Then there’s Campylobacter – the most common form of food poisoning – which is estimated to cost the UK economy £500m a year.”

  A leading microbiologist is calling on the hospitality and leisure industry to take more drastic action to minimise the risk of customers and staff being infected with potentially harmful microorganisms following a food poisoning outbreak at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.

 Dr Richard Hastings, a microbiologist for BioCote, says that by adopting antimicrobial silver ion technology into areas where hygiene is critical, like a hotel’s kitchen and restaurant, or public areas where there is high footfall, it can help lower levels of contaminating bacteria by up to 99.99%. This dramatically reduces the possibility of cross contamination and the risk of people getting infected.

For more:  http://www.hoteldesigns.co.uk/industrynews/news_7391.html

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by | May 28, 2010 · 5:04 am

Hotel Swimming Pool Health Risks: Hotel Pools Are Extremely Unhealthy As Chlorine Is Neutralized By Sweat, Suntan Lotion And Urine

Fecal particles are a common factor, especially in kiddie pools and fountains where children frolic. But urine is also a problem: It contains nitrogen that eats up chlorine in pool water, depleting the supply. Sweat and suntan lotion have the same effect.

And about one in five adults admit they have peed in the pool, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans done last year for a chemical industry advisory group, the Water Quality and Health Council.

A new government report shows one in eight public swimming pools were shut down two years ago because of dirty water or other problems, like missing safety equipment.

Kiddie pools were most likely to be the germiest, from fecal matter and improper chlorination.

The report is based on more than 120,000 inspections of public swimming pools in 2008, including those in parks and hotels. It’s the largest study of the topic ever done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the report Thursday.

For more:  http://www.fox41.com/Global/story.asp?S=12517797

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