A spokesperson with St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa says doctors are treating 12 patients suspected of E. coli poisoning.  The health department says between 10-20 people have been treated and released from other hosptitals in northeastern Oklahoma.

The Health Department has not released the source of the illnesses, but readers of the Tulsa World and KJRH websites have named Country Cottage in Locust Grove as the likely source of the outbreak – see comments below.  Given the number of E. coli outbreaks linked to tainted meat in the last several months, it will be interesting to see what the common food source is between all those who became ill.  See link to recalls due to E. coli O157:H7 here.

onya – 9:30 AM

what date did this occur? We ate at the country cottage in Locust Grove and have some minor diarrea and stomach cramping.

Blumr – 6:24 AM

My niece is one of the patients and is in ICU. She’s had to have dialysis, respirator and has been in very serious condition from this. She also ate at the Country Cottage in Locust Grove, as did the other patients.

dmlbcombs, Claremore (8/25/2008 8:38:56 AM)

The restaurant in question is Country Cottage. Sad deal.

RockBoston, (8/25/2008 10:00:21 AM)

The person that died is a colleague of mine. Very sad how this stuff happens. I did not personally know the guy, but this is a big company so. The whole idea that eating at your favorite restaurant could kill you is mind numbing.

olamom – 10:21 AM

we ate at the country cottage or as some people call it the blue house in locust grove..on saturday and my little girl has bad stomach cramping and diarrea..