Alberta Health Services is investigating to determine the source of an E. coli outbreak, involving people who ate at a south Edmonton restaurant.
AHS said this week, there have been five lab-confirmed cases of E. coli involving individuals who ate food from Mama Nita’s Binalot, located at 1519 Lakewood Road West.
Restaurant operators are cooperating with health officials, AHS said. Environmental Public Health inspected the restaurant on March 27. Officials said while it’s known the individuals who had lab-confirmed E. coli ate food from the restaurant, Mama Nita’s and/or workers at the restaurant have not been confirmed as the source.
AHS said the restaurant has been publicly identified as a precaution.
“We’re still asking a lot of questions, and still getting a lot of information, so this is early days in the investigation,” Dr. Jasmine Hasselback with AHS said. “There are a lot of unknowns, but we still think it’s important to get that message out so that people can seek care if needed.”
Of the individuals with confirmed cases of E. coli, AHS said no one has required hospitalization, and no one has had severe complications.
Officials are asking anyone who at the restaurant from March 15, 2018 onwards to monitor themselves for symptoms. AHS said the predominant symptom related to this strain of E.coli is diarrhea that may be bloody.
In more severe cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome (a form of kidney failure) can develop.
AHS said symptoms usually start one to 10 days after eating contaminated food. Children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of complications from this specific strain of E. coli.
Officials said most cases resolve on their own within 10 days, but a small number of cases could develop complications.
AHS said anyone with questions or concerns can contact Health Link by calling 811 to speak to a registered nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
