St. Louis County Health officials say they’ve now identified at least 94 people who have been sickened by an E. coli outbreak tied to events sponsored by a Fenton high school earlier this month.
People who have tested positive for food poisoning attended four events hosted or catered by Andre’s Banquets & Catering, a St. Louis County business, county health workers said. More than half of those affected were associated with Rockwood Summit High School.
The owner has denied his business is the culprit in media reports.
State and local health officials have been investigating what could have caused the outbreak by issuing surveys to event attendees and collecting food and other samples.
County health officials say they suspect a salad may be the source of illness but have not conclusively found what could have caused the food poisoning.
Jennifer Cumbus, whose child ate food supplied by the caterer, has filed suit against the business. The lawsuit filed Monday in St. Louis County Circuit Court claims the child sought emergency care after eating at an event catered by Andre’s on Nov. 8. and developed symptoms two days later.
The child “endured extreme pain, has been unable to eat, and has lost over seven pounds in the last week alone,” the suit claims. “She has been unable to keep food and water down due to nausea. [The child] remains severely fatigued, continues to experience severe pain, and her diarrhea continues to be bloody.”
The suit alleges the caterer breached its duty to provide safe food and is seeking damages.
E. coli is a bacteria that lives inside the digestive systems of humans and animals. Although several strains occur naturally and help with digestion, others can be dangerous. Ingesting E. coli can cause diarrhea, fever and dehydration. Serious cases of the poisoning can cause kidney damage.
“It is important to note that current findings do not implicate any single source or party,” St. Louis County health officials said in a statement. “Additional testing and data analysis are ongoing to determine the exact source of the contamination.”
They encourage anyone who suspects they may have E. coli poisoning to seek medical care.
