An E. coli outbreak in Bellevue, Washington has been linked to Tokyo Stop Teriyaki, a local restaurant that has seen five people falling ill with one additional case possibly connected. Four of the patrons who fell ill required hospitalization after dining at the establishment, with symptoms ranging from nausea to potentially life-threatening complications. According to mynorthwest.com, those affected dined at the restaurant on November 24 or 25, with lab results confirming the presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
Public health concerns were raised prompting an investigation by King County Public Health which subsequently led to the temporary closure of Tokyo Stop Teriyaki on December 12, it was reported by FOX 13 Seattle and the restaurant underwent thorough cleaning and sanitation measures as well as updates to its food safety practices to prevent future incidents; sinks for washing raw meat and vegetables were identified as being improperly positioned and there was a noted lack of proper sanitation on tools and surfaces, as was stated by KIRO 7.
By December 15, the health department reevaluated the restaurant, confirming the completion of the required cleaning and adherence to food safety procedures, this culminated in the restaurant's reopening.,. King County Public Health has been pursuing the possibility of a second source of contamination, as one individual who did not eat at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki also tested positive for the same E. coli strain, hinting at a broader issue with food safety.
Authorities are now urging anyone who dined at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki during November and December and subsequently developed gastrointestinal symptoms to come forward and complete an online survey; this is part of an ongoing investigation to fully determine the scope of the outbreak and pinpoint its source, "If you ate at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki in November or December and later developed symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea), or fever, please fill out this survey: STEC Outbreak Questions," a statement obtained by KIRO 7 highlights, emphasizing the public health department's commitment to address the situation.
