FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. — As the St. Clair County Health Department continues its investigation into food poisoning cases at a Fairview Heights restaurant, officials are now surveying customers on what they ate in the weeks before the restaurant closed.
The county health department and the Illinois Department of Public Health are still looking into what caused Shigellosis cases at the LongHorn Steakhouse on 6115 North Illinois St. The outbreak led to over a dozen confirmed cases of Shigella, which causes fever and diarrhea which can become bloody. At least six people were hospitalized, according to the St. Clair County Health Department.
Health officials said in an attempt to narrow down what food or foods are potentially linked directly to the Shigella infection, anyone who dined at that LongHorn from Sept. 21 up to the date of closing on Oct. 2 are asked to fill out a survey of what food they ate at the restaurant. The survey link can be found here.
The health department said as of Oct. 7, the LongHorn Steakhouse remained closed as the investigation continues into the cause of the outbreak, which is still unknown. It added that restaurant representatives are cooperating with health officials and working to determine a source of the infection.
Jory Lange, a food poisoning lawyer at Lange Law Firm, said he has filed three lawsuits linked to the LongHorn Steakhouse outbreak. Lange said he was representing several families after at least 30 people contacted his law firm.
What is shigella?
Shigella infection, or shigellosis, causes fever and diarrhea. These symptoms occur one to two days after coming in contact with the bacteria. Symptoms typically last five to seven days, but some people may experience symptoms anywhere from a few days to 4 or more weeks.
What should I do if I have, or had symptoms?
The health department said people with diarrhea should contact their doctor if they have fever, bloody or prolonged diarrhea, severe stomach cramping or dehydration. Shigella cases should quickly be reported to the local health department by health care providers and laboratories.
