LAKE STEVENS — A restaurant in Lake Stevens is the likely source of 13 of 17 cases of E. coli reported this month, the Snohomish Health District announced today.
The people were likely exposed to the bacterium at the Ixtapa restaurant, according to health officials who say they interviewed and compared notes from the sick people.
Health officials still need to interview one more person. Three of those who became sick did not eat at the restaurant.
Restaurant management has been very cooperative with the health district, closing voluntarily with an understanding of how serious the situation is, said spokeswoman Suzanne Pate.
The restaurant’s owner declined comment.
“Ixtapa has been a very popular restaurant in Lake Stevens for the last 17 years and they are very concerned about this particular issue and although the health district investigation is not conclusive, Ixtapa is nonetheless prepare to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem because their patrons health is part of their top priority,” said Stephen Pidgeon, a lawyer representing Ixtapa.
Reporter Justin Arnold: 425-339-3432 or jarnold@heraldnet.com.
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