By Octber 24, Clark County Public health officials had increased their count of confirmed and suspected cases of Salmonella to 117 that could be connected to the On the Border Mexican restaurant between September 20 and October 8, 2012 in Vancouver, WA., That number includes laboratory-confirmed cases and probable. Probable cases are people with known exposure and corresponding symptoms, but no laboratory tests to confirm their infection.
At least one of the patients is a resident of Oregon, while Clark County Health Officer Dr. Alan Melnick said he believed he heard that another patient was from California. The bacteria strain at the center of the outbreak, Salmonella Virchow, is a relatively rare strain in the U.S. The Washington State Department of Health has posted these illnesses on PulseNet, a national epidemiology network, in an effort to track other potential Salmonella Virchow outbreaks around the country.
Clark County health officials have not identified the “source,” although with 5 foodhandlers who tested positive at the restaurant, it is almost certain that bacteria proliferated throughout the restaurant environment by restaurant employees. The restaurant was allowed to reopen on October 14.
Source: Bor.S. Luh Food Safety Research Center