who-what-where-when-why-how.pngIn journalism, the “Five Ws and one H” – Who, What, When, Where, Why and How are regarded as the basics of information gathering for news.

Perhaps, it is time to do a little journalism?

Who became Ill?  A total of 68 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis have been reported from 10 states.

What do we know?  The CDC collaborated with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections which was associated with eating food from a “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A.”

When was the Outbreak?  The outbreak began October 13, 2011 until the final report was publishing on January 19, 2012.

Where are the Illnesses?  The number of ill persons identified in each state with the outbreak strain was as follows: Texas (43), Oklahoma (16), Kansas (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1) and Tennessee (1).

Why we don’t know?  What is “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A” with restaurants in at least Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee?

How is it that we still don’t know?  Well, after spending several hours trying to figure out what “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chains” do or do not have locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee, I gave up.  Which make me wonder how pissed the other “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chains” that are not “Restaurant A.”

Update:

CDC says total number ill are 68 in Texas (43), Oklahoma (16), Kansas (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1), and Tennessee (1).

So, which restaurant?  It could be any of the ones below, but more likely the one in BOLD – CDC only says where people got sick – it could be that they ate in a restaurant in another state then where they reside.

– Taco Bell: Multiple locations in every outbreak state.

Qdoba: In every outbreak state; Only 1 in Northwest corner of NM (officials from Qdoba have confirmed that they are not retaurant A).

– Chipotle: In all outbreak states except Tennessee, which has one victim. However, there are locations in 3 of Tennessee’s neighboring states.  Only one NM location (officials from Chipolte have confirmed that they are not retaurant A).

– Del Taco: Locations in all but 3 outbreak states (IA, KS and TN), but Kansas has one right over the border in MO.

– Taco Del Mar: Not in KS, MO, or TN, but right on TN border with Mississippi.

– Taco John’s: In all outbreak states but OK, MI, and TN, but one right across TN border in Kentucky.