Rochester Restaurant Sued Over E-Coli Outbreak

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Twin Cities law firm announced this week that it has initiated a lawsuit against a downtown Rochester on behalf of the family of a child who became seriously ill from an e-coli infection in mid-September.

The Pritzker Hageman law firm specializes in food poisoning cases and is seeking damages from the owners of the Damsy Restaurant. A bulletin posted by the law firm says the restaurant was linked to an outbreak of e-coli illness by investigators with Olmsted County Public Health Services and the Minnesota Department of Health. There were at least 8 confirmed cases and 4 of the affected people required hospitalization. A spokesperson for Olmsted County Public Health Services says all of the patients have since been discharged from the hospital.

The restaurant was closed for one day to allow investigators to search for the source of the contamination but was then closed for a second time on last month after some employees tested positive for the infection. There have been no further cases reported, and while the investigation did not pinpoint the source of the bacteria, the restaurant has taken steps to address a possible culprit that involved the preparation of falafel.

The Damsy Restaurant opened this fall in the building that was previously a China Star restaurant at the corner of 1st Avenue and 4th Street Southwest.

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