Health Law

Illinois Subway Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuit

By Drew Falkenstein

Today, along with Gary Newland of the Chicago-area firm Newland, Newland, and Newland, we filed suit on behalf of Alicea Bush-Bailey, who was sickened at an Aurora Illinois Subway restaurant.  Ms. Bush-Bailey is one of many victims of the Salmonella outbreak linked to Subway restaurants in Illinois statewide. 

TheIllinois Department of Public Health updated their case-count today in the outbreak as well.  Their release reads as follows:

Confirmed cases of Salmonella serotype Hvittingfoss – 97.

Age range of confirmed cases: 2 to 79.

Cases have reported eating at Subway restaurants located in 28 counties -- Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, Dekalb, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Macon, Marshall, McLean, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, Will and Winnebago.

Investigation is ongoing. Numbers will be updated June 22, if additional cases are identified.

Still no word on the precise cause of the outbreak--i.e. which contaminated item was initially responsible for introducing Salmonella bacteria into Illinois Subway restaurants.  There are widespread concerns, however, that the risk of illness is not yet over, despite the fact that many of the recognized cases in the outbreak were sickened over a month ago.  There is a significant risk that foodworkers may have become infected as well--and may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic (no symptoms)--and thus represent an ongoing risk of Salmonella infection to patrons of Illinois Subway restaurants. 

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on June 22, 2010 (boomark / email).