Gastrointestinal illness outbreak at Calgary restaurant under investigation: AHS

A gastrointestinal illness outbreak at a southeast Calgary restaurant is under investigation, Alberta Health Services (AHS) says.

The illness, identified to have been caused by shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is associated with the Kinjo Sushi and Grill location in Mahogany.

AHS says there are four confirmed cases and two probable cases of this outbreak, all of which came after people ate at the Kinjo location on or around Sept. 18.

The agency says anyone who ate or drank there on Sept. 18 or Sept. 19 may have been exposed.

STEC spreads through food or water contaminated by fecal matter, and can be transmitted between people if they don’t wash their hands after using the restroom.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration. AHS says the illness usually goes away without treatment.

AHS says a public health inspection conducted at the Kinjo Mahogany location earlier this week found no critical violations of any health regulations.

There have been no STEC cases reported outside the Sept. 18 outbreak.

The restaurant remains open as the AHS investigation continues.