Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services continue to investigate an outbreak of salmonella in West Point. To date, there have been 20 confirmed cases and 8 probable cases. ELVPHD and DHHS are working to identify the source of the outbreak and make sure the risk is eliminated.
Local health department officials and DHHS are conducting interviews with Nebraskans who contracted the illness. So far, all confirmed cases have one common factor which is dining at Red Door Coffee in West Point. Red Door Coffee owners and staff are fully cooperating with the investigation.
Anyone who ate at Red Door Coffee July 14 – July 29 is asked to complete a brief survey that will help ELVPHD and DHHS in this investigation. The survey may be found at: https://han.ne.gov/survey/rdc.
Salmonella is caused by a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. It is usually spread to humans by eating contaminated food, including beef, poultry, milk, eggs, fruits or vegetables.
Symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts 4-7 days. Most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases the diarrhea may be so severe that a person needs to be hospitalized. People at highest risk for salmonella infection include: children under 5 years old, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with salmonella should contact their doctor for recommendations on testing and treatment.