SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, October 27, it was discovered that almost 200 people have contracted the bacteria called Shigella.
The outbreak began 10 days ago, on October 16, and can be traced back to the Mexican seafood restaurant Mariscos San Juan No. 3 located in San Jose. The outbreak, so far, has spread across six different counties.
Shigella is a highly contagious bacteria that can be spread through simple human contact or from ingesting fecal matter that can be on food that was prepared by someone who had contracted the bacteria.
Symptoms of Shigella are usually watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, among other things. Symptoms likely persist between five to seven days, but officials state that it can take months for a person’s bowel movement to return to normal. Children and elderly are most likely to be infected by the bacteria.
Hospitalization has been required for a lot of the people that have contracted the bacteria. Almost a dozen were admitted into the intensive care unit.
As of October 23, three people have filed separate lawsuits against the restaurant citing negligence on their part.
The cause of the outbreak is still being investigated. The restaurant has been closed since October 18 and it was reported that they are cooperating with health officials.
Health officials are informing people that the only way to prevent being infected by the Shigella bacteria is to make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds frequently with hot soap and water.
