The Kane County Health Department, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the DuPage, DeKalb and Chicago health departments continue to investigate the cause of a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that appears to be linked to the Portillo’s restaurant in St. Charles. The number of confirmed cases stands at 15, with eight from Kane County, four from 4 DuPage County, one from Chicago, one from DeKalb County, and one from Minnesota.
An exact cause of the outbreak has not been identified; however the weight of evidence leans toward the ingestion of salad. It is not known how the salad became contaminated.
Two employees have tested positive for Salmonella Typhimurium, but the investigation has identified them as likely victims of the outbreak and not the cause. A total of 76 employees have been cleared to return to work, meaning they have tested negative twice in tests conducted 48 hours apart. Other information about the outbreak includes:
Onset date ranged from April 5 through April 30
10 are female, five are male.
Three were hospitalized