Screen Shot 2011-12-13 at 2.04.07 PM.pngThe Mississippi State Department of Health says 59 customers and employees of Don Julio Mexican Restaurant in Corinth have tested positive for salmonella. The department says Tuesday that the restaurant remains closed until an improvement plan is approved by health officials. Dr. Jessie R. Taylor, a district health officer, says the source of the salmonella does not appear to be a food producer or supplier. Taylor says it appears to be an isolated problem with the restaurant.

According to news reports, Aaron Canaday says the Salmonella illness hit suddenly and violently. The 13-year old got very sick and didn’t know why. “It went from high fever, to can’t get away from the bathroom, stomach cramps and just bad.”

Doctors diagnosed him with Salmonella poisoning.

Dr. Blakely Fowler says it’s hitting the young and elderly particularly hard, because they have the most trouble fighting it off. “It seems that I’ve seen this all throughout Alcorn County and some into the Selmer area. It’s definitely not associated with just one restaurant.”

The CEO of Magnolia Regional Health Center says his hospital has treated as many as eleven salmonella victims, but Fowler says there are many more who didn’t need hospitalization.