KIRKLAND, Wash. — Three people were sickened by a stomach bug outbreak that authorities with the Seattle & King County Health Department say was associated with a Kirkland hamburger restaurant.
According to an investigation completed by the department, three people were sickened after eating at Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar located at 12540 120th Avenue Northeast in Kirkland between Oct. 27-Nov. 3. The restaurant has a good inspection rating and the outbreak was reportedly over.
The health department said it investigated an outbreak of stomach illness that was most likely caused by a bacterial toxin in food at the restaurant. Each person who ate at the restaurant had one or more signs that were consistent with a bacterial toxin, including vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
According to the department, “Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens are both bacteria that grow rapidly at room temperature. These bacteria are found in a variety of foods, including meats, rice, leftovers, sauces, soups, and other prepared foods, particularly those that have sat out too long at room temperature.”
Some restaurant workers had been sick recently, the department said, but no one was sick at the time of the investigation. There was no evidence of the customers’ illnesses being connected to restaurant workers.
The department outlined its investigation in the report, which read in part:
“On Nov. 8, we visited Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar. We found some unsafe food practices, including an improperly stocked handwashing facility but nothing that could raise the risk of bacterial toxin growth. We also found some issues with their worker health policy. While the restaurant does not allow workers to work while sick, workers were not asked what symptoms they had when staying home sick. We gave the restaurant resources and educated them on ways to fix these problems, including guidance for management to check with sick workers about their symptoms before they are allowed to come back to work. This is to lower the chance a worker returns to work with a sickness that could make other people sick or the food they make unsafe. We also went over safe cooling procedures for cooked foods, which helps prevent the growth of bacterial toxins.”
For a full look at the department’s investigation, click here.
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