PANERA BREAD INVESTIGATED AFTER E. COLI OUTBREAK IN NEW JERSEY, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
Channel: Fire Arrow
Date: 2018-04-06

Update | An E. coli outbreak in New Jersey could possibly be linked to local Panera Breads, health officials say.

There are eight cases of the bacterial disease in four New Jersey counties, a spokeswoman from the Department of Health told Newsweek. Officials are investigating a Panera Bread in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

"The state lab is conducting tests to see if the strain of E. coli bacteria (there are many) matches. The CDC will then conduct confirmatory tests. The NJ Department of Health is still awaiting lab tests to determine if these cases are linked at all. As more information becomes available, we will provide that to the public," said spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
Sarah Perramant, a public health epidemiologist in Warren County told NJ.com that officials were investigating “local Panera Breads” in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

"The Warren County Health Department and state Health Department are investigating a cluster of E. coli cases" potentially from "local Panera Breads," Perramant said.

Perramant said they have not determined the Panera Bread as the source for some people to fall ill, and that it is still an ongoing investigation.