E. Coli Cases May Be Linked To Chain Restaurant In Hunterdon Co.

The New Jersey Department of Health says it's investigating E.Coli cases that could be linked to a restaurant chain in at least three New Jersey counties, including Hunterdon.

NJ Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner would not confirm the restaurant chain in question because she said state officials have not yet established an indisputable connection between the cases and the company. She would only say the cases "might" be associated with a chain.

About six cases of E.Coli have been reported. Leusner said the investigation is still in the preliminary stages and the department will submit its research to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. The process could take longer than a week.

"It is still very early on in the investigation and it can be very difficult to determine where someone got sick, or pinpoint the source," Leusner said.

As part of the state's investigation, the DOH will trace back the food product and conduct lab testing. The department will also interview the patients and talk to the restaurant.

"Since several counties are involved, they could've gotten sick at home or another restaurant," Leusner said. "The source or food product cannot be determined until state lab tests are done to tell if they match the various cases of illness and confirm testing with the CDC."

A spokeswoman with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville referred questions about the possible E. Coli cases to the state health department.

(Image via angellodeco/Shutterstock.com)

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.