Toccoa, Georgia Center of "Public Health Emergency" as E. coli Outbreak Spreads
In terms of e. coli outbreaks, the 18 victims linked to a BBQ restaurant in Stephens County, Georgia is considered by Cherie Drenzek, state epidemiologist at Public Health, as a “big one.”
In fact, Drenzek states, “it’s kind of an all-hands-on-deck situation.” With at least 18 cases liked to this outbreak strain of E. coli, 11 of which are confirmed at another 7 “probables” with tests still pending, Drenzek considers this a public health emergency because, she points out, E. coli can have severe clinical complications. And in fact this one is no different, with at least 5 of the victims presenting with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a kind of kidney failure that is a relatively rare but serious complication of E. coli infection.
The high rate of infection, with over one-in-four of the victims developing HUS, is probably indicative that many of the less serious cases have yet to be identified, says E. coli lawyer Ron Simon who has represented thousands of food poisoning victims. ”According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one-in-six Americans get food poisoning each year, but most do not seek medical attention,” Simon noted, adding “in a way, this can make it very hard to identify the source of the outbreak, which in this case the public health investigators are still working on.” With only 18 of the victims identified, including the very young and those too ill to participate in questionnaires, it may be difficult to identify the specific food that made the victims ill at the BBQ Shack.
According to Stephens County Health Department spokesperson Dave Palmer, who spoke to Simon & Luke by telephone, a number of food items were collected for testing and the health department is waiting on the results of those tests. Some reports have indicated that beef is the likely source, but even ice tea has been named as a possible source of the E. coli outbreak by some local news stations. Palmer, however, stated the most likely conclusion will indicate cross-contamination at the restaurant itself, with a real possibility that no single source will be identified. According to Palmer, the victims presented with symptoms an average of 3-4 days after eating at the BBQ Shack. This fact, states E. coli lawyer Ron Simon, may be adding to the difficulty. ”With people’s memories fading, identifying the specific food items each victims ate can become difficult,” Simon stated, adding “but victims need to know that they have legal rights, including filing an E. coli lawsuit or an E. coli claim to recover for lost wages, medical expenses, and the pain and suffering of having been made sick after enjoying a meal.”
Let Simon & Luke Help You
Ron Simon and the E. coli and food poisoning lawyers at Simon & Luke are actively investigating the Georgia BBQ Shack E. coli outbreak and are accepting calls and inquiries on our toll-free outbreak hotline at 1-888-335-4901 or ron@simonluke.com.
If you or a loved one contracted E. coli and/or E. coli symptoms in Stephens County, Georgia then you are likely related to this outbreak. If so, you are entitled to significant compensation from the manufacturers and distributors of the contaminated food and their insurers, including payment for all of your past and future medical bills, pharmacy bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other damages.
Let Simon & Luke’s E. coli lawyers and attorneys help you with your Georgia BBQ Shack E. coli outbreak, claim, lawsuit, and settlement.
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