Western U.P. E. coli Outbreak Traced to Houghton's Ambassador Restaurant
The Ambassador restaurant in Houghton, Michigan, is the likely source of an Upper Peninsula E. coli outbreak that sickened at least seven people, including four who were hospitalized.
Medical Director Terry Frankovich said in a press release that the outbreak is under investigation by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department. "The health department has determined that the likely source of the outbreak was an ill food-handler at the restaurant,'' Dr. Frankovich said.
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Three of the initial cases were local and two were non-local -- one from Dickinson County and one from Wisconsin. Two other case patients were discovered later. The medical director said there is no on-going health risk at the restaurant, which remains open.
The type of E. coli that caused the illnesses -- type O157:H7 -- is capable of causing life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease that shuts down a person's kidneys and can lead to strokes, severe anemia, neurological disorders and heart attacks. Medical consequences of HUS can last a life time.
Restaurant liability in E. coli outbreaks is an issue in litigation when outbreaks such as these occur. E. coli attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are investigating the case separately from public health officials. If you are a confirmed case patient of this outbreak or know a loved one who became sick after eating at The Ambassador around the Christmas holiday, call our firm for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 or leave contact information and an attorney will call you.
Our law firm is one of the very few legal groups in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and our trial lawyers have recovered tens of millions of dollars for E. coli victims throughout the country. Securing fair claims for victims of food poisoning takes experience in a complicated and detailed area of the law.
