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E. Coli Outbreak Traced To Popular San Francisco Restaurant

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS / KPIX 5) — Officials with the San Francisco Department of Public Health said Friday that the source of a recent E. coli outbreak has been traced to a popular restaurant in the city's Richmond District.

Health officials said that nine out of the 14 people that have come down with E. coli infections ate at Burma Superstar, located at 309 Clement Street, on either August 16 or 17. The remaining five E. coli cases are under investigation.

E. coli Outbreak Traced Back To Popular San Francisco Restaurant

No one has died from the outbreak, but a health department official told KPIX 5 one of the patients is suffering from a condition called hemolytic-uremic syndrome, a situation which could lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

According to health officials, no new cases have appeared since then. A statement from the health department said "there is no ongoing risk to the public's health."

The restaurant has had excellent food inspections and is cooperating with the Department of Public Health's investigation, officials said.

A statement posted on the front window of Burma Superstar from owner Desmond Tan said this is the first incident of its kind in the restaurant's 17-year history. The restaurant voluntarily closed on Friday and plans to reopen on Monday, September 2nd.

The statement also said they are confident the exposure has been eliminated and that the outbreak was an isolated incident.

"We greatly apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and thank all of our customers for their continued support and patience. We are doing everything we can to ensure that an incident of this type never occurs again," the statement read.

E. coli infections usually are associated with undercooked ground beef but can also be traced to juice, raw milk, fruit or even water that has been contaminated. Patients usually suffer from abdominal cramps and diarrhea, but the infection can be dangerous for the elderly and children under five years old.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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