Politics & Government
Health Department: St. Charles Portillo's Has Excellent Health Record Prior to Outbreak
County health official talks about rare outbreak of salmonella possibly connected to St. Charles restaurant.
Kane County Health Department records indicate that the Portillo’s Restaurant in St. Charles, which officials say might be connected to a recent, rare outbreak of , has one of the best health inspection records for the chain in all of Kane County.
“They typically get high reviews,” said Paul Kuehnert, executive director of the Kane County Health Department, who added that the entire Portillo’s Restaurant chain has an excellent health inspection record.
Earlier this week the St. Charles Patch reported that seven people who contracted a strain of salmonella had eaten at the restaurant located on North Avenue on the St. Charles’ east side.
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According to Kane County Health Department tests, the contracted strain of salmonella—Salmonella ser. Typhimurium—is listed in the Center for Disease Control’s databases as being responsible for only 2 percent of the country’s food borne outbreaks, making the outbreak a rare occurrence.
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The health department is still in the process of isolating the source of the outbreak.
“Interviews are in process, as we look at potential sources,” said Kuehnert. “The lab is also testing food items.”
Since the news of the outbreak became public, there have been no additional confirmed cases, however health department officials have received a number of calls from more individuals who suspect they may have contracted the bacteria at Portillo’s.
Kuehnert stresses that anyone who ate at the St. Charles location from mid to late April or more recent, and has experienced symptoms ranging from diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever should contact the Kane County Health Department or their doctor immediately.
“We want to fill out the entire picture of this outbreak,” he said.
Most people who contract the illness develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection.
Since the outbreak, the St. Charles Portillo’s location has been completely sanitized, and the health department does not believe that salmonella exists at the restaurant any longer.
