300 Say Indiana Restaurant Made Them Ill- OT

[Guest guest]

Does anyone think it odd that so much ecoli and other bacterial outbreaks are

suddenly abounding? The other day I was out and about and grew very hungry.

My first thought was a salad at s but then I pondered on all the

illnesses out there recently. I settled for a banana instead. So far, I

haven't

heard of anyone dying from eating a banana.

300 Say Indiana Restaurant Made Them Ill

INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 16) -- More than 300 people say they became ill, and at

least three have been hospitalized, after eating at an Olive Garden restaurant

last weekend, health officials said Friday.

The restaurant has been closed while health officials and the company

investigate what caused customers to complain of nausea, vomiting, fever and

diarrhea, a company spokesman said.

Steve Coe, a spokesman for the Orlando, Fla.-based chain of Italian

restaurants, said health officials are focusing on an employee who had flu-like

symptoms similar to those patrons complained of.

Six restaurant workers reported Monday that they felt ill, said n County

Health Department spokesman Althardt.

" We're trying to isolate what the cause of the illness might be, " he said.

Health officials have found no link to the E. coli outbreak that sickened

dozens of people who ate at Taco Bell restaurants in the Northeast recently,

Althardt said.

The reports have been isolated to the one restaurant, appearing to indicate

the problem is not linked to any products used in the food, Coe said. Food

suppliers typically supply the same products to many restaurants.

" We are taking this extremely seriously, " he said. " But at this time there is

no reason for us to believe that there is any connection with any E. coli

outbreaks. "

Health officials were collecting leftover food and stool samples from those

stricken to pinpoint the source, Althardt said. Inspectors met with restaurant

managers on Tuesday and found no health code violations.