Public health officials say cross-contamination at a restaurant led to a salmonella outbreak that could have infected 86 people.
The Piper Arms restaurant, located in Stone Creek, Ontario, Canada, has finally reopened after being closed since April 13. There are currently 29 confirmed cases, 57 waiting for confirmation, and 9 patients hospitalized.
“Evidence from Hamilton Public Health’s food safety investigation and case epidemiology analysis suggests that cross-contamination was not the only food source responsible for the illness, but rather contributed to transmission within the facility,” Hamilton Public Health said in a statement.
Officials reported that salmonella was found in the cheese and believed it had cross-contaminated other food, utensils and food-contact surfaces.
The outbreak is believed to have started on March 30. Public health officials closed the restaurant on April 13.
On April 30, the restaurant was ticketed and fined $705 for three violations related to the outbreak, the Department of Public Health said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.
“Operators have taken steps to control the source of the outbreak and no new cases of illness have been identified or reported since these measures were implemented,” the health authority said.
“To support ongoing compliance, Hamilton Public Health will monitor food handling practices and conduct additional follow-up inspections to ensure food safety standards are consistently maintained.”
The restaurant received a “conditional pass” following an inspection March 10, citing issues with refrigeration, food storage on the floor and hand-washing supplies, according to Public Health Inspections’ online database. It passed a re-inspection two days later, but on April 7, inspectors again found food stored on the floor and exposed food in storage.
Inspectors conducted a “pandemic inspection” on April 10 and found three serious violations, but have not yet closed the restaurant and gave it a “pass.”
The inspection report states that violations including storing raw and cooked food together and inaccessible hand washing stations were corrected during the inspection.
“Once a food safety issue is identified, Hamilton Public Health applies a progressive enforcement approach moving to education, on-site remediation, written orders and, where necessary, closures and/or fines,” said a public health release issued Wednesday.
