Complain about a product or service

One Death Reported in Oklahoma E. coli Outbreak

41 others hospitalized; Restaurant at center of investigation

August 28, 2008

Food Safety • Salmonella Scare Prompts Dairy Recall • Most Consumers Lack Confidence In Food Safety, Survey Says • House Committee Unanimously Passes Food Safety Bill • Food Safety Bill Aired In House • House Committee Moves Forward On Food Safety Legislation • Illinois Meat Packer Recalls 95,898 Pounds Of Beef • Alfalfa Sprouts Linked to Salmonella • Food Safety Results Level Off • Sprouts Recalled Due To Possible Listeria • FDA Warns About Listeria in Salmon • Food Industry Accused of Big Tobacco's Bad Habits • FDA Closes Tortilla Plant • Surface Water May Be Source Of Salmonella • Key Senator Blasts FDA Over Food Safety > • FDA Rolls Out Food Safety Plan • Brits Get Treats, Yanks Get Tricks From Food Companies • Hartz Recalls Rawhide Chips After Possible Salmonella Contamination • Vermont Firm Recalls Possibly-Tainted Ground Beef • Beef Sent to Puerto Rico May Be Contaminated with E. coli • Technology Offers Revolution in Food Safety Testing • Chinese Gorillas Fall Ill as Melamine Scandal Widens • Alfalfa Sprouts Recalled in Salmonella Outbreak • CDC Gives "All Clear" On Salmonella Outbreak • One Death Reported in Oklahoma E. coli Outbreak • Feds Approve Irradiation of Spinach, Lettuce • FDA Issues Warning About Frozen Seafood • Whole Foods Extends Beef Recall • Whole Foods Recalls Fresh Ground Beef • Six New E. coli Cases Reported In Massachusetts --- • More ...

A restaurant in Locust Grove, Oklahoma appears to be the source of an E. coli outbreak in the state, that authorities say has killed a man and sent 41 others to the hospital.

The fatality, 26-year old Chad Ingle, became sick after eating at the restaurant, as did the other victims. Larry Weatherford, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Health Department, says the illnesses are believed to be the result of cross contamination within the restaurant itself.

"At this point, the outbreak does not appear to be tied to any single food item," Weatherford told ConsumerAffairs.com.

The Country Cottage Restaurant in Locust Grove is currently under investigation by state and local health inspectors, who hope to pinpoint the exact origin of the outbreak. Weatherford says there is nothing, at this point, to suggest the outbreak is tied to contaminated beef, linked to E. coli outbreaks in the Midwest earlier in the summer.

There are several strains of E. coli, with 0157:H7 being an especially toxic strain that can cause severe illness, and on occasion, even death. Symptoms can include stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Most people get better within 15 days, but some cases can lead to kidney failure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there could be about 70,000 infections with E. coli O157:H7 each year in the U.S., but no one knows for use because many of those who get sick don't see a doctor.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.