MIRAMICHI, N.B. — A recent E.coli outbreak linked to a Jungle Jim’s restaurant in Miramichi, N.B.that has infected 13 people, has led the department of health to toughen food safety regulations in the province.
“There’s lots of restaurants in the province that haven’st always had a good mark …and occasionally may even had their license removed that have jumped back and now they have full approval from us and sometimes it serves as a lesson for them to be able to provide much safer food afterwards,” Dr. Denis Allard, the deputy chief medical officer of health was quoted as saying to CBC News.
Public health officials confirmed last week that 13 people were infected with the same strain of E. coli that killed seven people in Walkerton, Ont., in 2000. A total of 14 people were hospitalized and 30 people reported symptoms common to an E.coli infection. Food-safety officials now believe that the outbreak is over since no new cases have been reported.
Officials have reported that the majority of the people who were infected in the area ate at Jungle Jim’s restaurant prior to getting sick at the end of April. An inspection of the restaurant revealed that the E.coli contaminated source was not present at the restaurant, however a number of health violations were indentified, including storing food at improper temperatures.
Starting in July, new regulations call for anyone who handles food sold to the public to take a course and maintain a certification.
According to a spokesman for Jungle Jim’s, the restaurant has fully cooperated with the investigation and employees at that location have all completed food safety training.
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