Officials investigating after 34 sick from Kirkland taco truck

SEATTLE — King County Public Health says it is investigating a recent outbreak of stomach illness after 34 people got sick from an event in Kirkland catered by the Tacos El Guero food truck on Sept. 14.

A day after the catered event, people reported their sicknesses to Public Health which then kickstarted the investigation.

Nobody has been hospitalized or died from the incident.

Investigators visited the business’s food truck and restaurant on Sept. 18, finding potential risk factors for bacteria growth. The factors included inadequate refrigeration, improper cooling of food, and lack of managerial oversight.

Food provided for the catering event was also found to have been served out of an unpermitted food truck.

Based on these concerns, environmental health investigators shut down the restaurant.

The exact food or drink that caused the illnesses has not been identified, though this is not uncommon for outbreaks associated with a bacterial toxin.

Officials will revisit the business to ensure safe food handling practices are implemented before the restaurant reopens.

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