The number of individuals affected by an E. coli outbreak in St. Louis County has reached a worrying count of 94, as reported by St. Louis County Health officials. A lawsuit has been filed against the alleged source, Andre's Banquets & Catering, by Jennifer Cumbus, a mother whose child fell victim to the bacteria after consuming food from the catering company at a Rockwood Summit High School event last Friday, as detailed in reports from STLPR and St. Louis Today.
St. Louis County authorities continue to investigate to determine the exact source of the outbreak. Health officials have speculated that a salad may be to blame but have yet to conclusively pinpoint the source. Meanwhile, the lawsuit claims Cumbus’s daughter "endured extreme pain, has been unable to eat, and has lost over seven pounds in the last week alone," as she continues to face critical symptoms, explicitly described by STLPR. Despite the growing number of cases, the health department has emphasized that no single source or party has been implicately exclusively as of yet.
The owner of Andre's Banquets & Catering has firmly denied the allegations that his business is the source of the outbreak. Armengol Jr. has been quoted stating, "I adamantly (deny) that my business was the source of the outbreak." and illustrated the measures his company takes to ensure food safety, highlighting the fact that their food is HAACP inspected and USDA certified. The information was extracted from statements issued to KSDK.
The lawsuit filed by Cumbus in St. Louis County Circuit Court is fighting to obtain unspecified damages, arguing that the caterer breached its duty to provide safe food, as echoed in coverage from St. Louis Today. The outbreak has undoubtedly brought forth not only the struggles of those infected but also the complexity of managing and investigating such widespread foodborne illnesses. The health officials' efforts to closely scrutinize the nexus of the outbreak are ongoing.
