Health department investigates E. coli outbreak linked to Japanese restaurant in Bellevue

BELLEVUE, Wash. — King County Public Health is currently investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157, known as STEC, linked to Tokyo Stop Teriyaki in Bellevue.

The outbreak has affected at least five King County residents who fell ill after consuming food from the restaurant in November and December, according to the health department.

TIMELINE OF INVESTIGATION

• On Dec. 12, the health department asked the restaurant to close.
• The health department visited the restaurant on Dec. 13 and found several problems that could have contributed to this outbreak (sinks for washing raw meat and vegetables were placed too close together, tools and surfaces used for raw meat, like chicken, weren’t sanitized properly)
• The health department returned on Dec. 15, confirmed that the cleaning was done properly, and that they were following required food safety procedures. Based on this, they were allowed to reopen, the department said.

Health officials used DNA fingerprinting, specifically whole genome sequencing (WGS), to confirm that these cases are connected.

In addition to the five confirmed cases, there is one more individual in King County whose illness matches the others through WGS, the department said.

However, this person did not report eating at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki, according to the department.

This suggests that their illness may have originated from a different source or possibly from a contaminated food product served both at the restaurant and elsewhere.

The investigation is ongoing as officials work to determine the exact source of the contamination.

The health department is asking anyone who ate at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki in November or December and later developed symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea), or fever to fill out a survey to help identify and prevent any future outbreaks.

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To avoid getting sick with STEC, the health department advises not eating high-risk foods, especially undercooked ground beef and other beef products, goat products, and sheep products, unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice or cheese, and raw sprouts.