000823 E. Coli Cases in Milwaukee Reach 64August 6, 2000Washington - A second Sizzler restaurant has been linked to an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak in the Milwaukee area, pushing the total of confirmed cases of E. coli to 64, Milwaukee public health officials said Friday afternoon. Two patrons of a second Sizzler restaurant, located in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa, have confirmed cases of E. coli infection, health officials said. The Sizzler steakhouse on Layton Avenue in Milwaukee is the source of an E. coli outbreak that has infected 56 people, of which at least 16 are children between ages 1 and 16. In addition, six other cases of E. coli have been confirmed but are unrelated to either Sizzler restaurant, officials said. Health officials are still trying to confirm the source of the contaminated food product responsible for E. coli outbreak. Health officials learned August 3 that E. coli bacteria obtained from raw beef in the Layton Avenue Sizzler showed a genetic fingerprint to bacteria from a food source consumed by at least one patient who ate at the Wauwatosa restaurant. “This suggests that a meat product may have been responsible for introducing the bacteria to both restaurants,” Milwaukee Health Commissioner Dr. Seth L. Foldy said. Those who consumed watermelon at the Layton Avenue restaurant were eight times more likely to be infected, officials said, but watermelon had not been linked to the other restaurant. As of August 3, 22 people had required hospitalization as a result of the outbreak, many of whom had been discharged. A 3-year-old girl died July 28 as a result of the outbreak. Both Sizzler restaurants have been closed down voluntarily during the investigation, with Sizzler management cooperating with investigators, health officials said.
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