Salmonella outbreak associated with IHOP in Bellevue

Illnesses

Since late 2023, Public Health has learned of 32 people infected with the same strain of Salmonella. This includes one IHOP in Bellevue restaurant staff member who regularly ate food from the workplace. Of these 32 people, 22 became sick after eating a wide variety of food and drinks at this IHOP (many of these food items did not include onions). Public Health has been unable to confirm if the remaining 10 (of 32) people infected with the same strain had consumed food or drinks from this IHOP. The people with Salmonella ranged in age from 1 to 78 years old.

Note: through ongoing laboratory testing, interviews, data collection, and analysis, we have been able to confirm additional Salmonella cases linked to this outbreak. The updated count now includes people that are not King County residents.

Public Health actions

In January 2024, the Washington State Department of Health alerted us of three Salmonella cases that matched the national Salmonella outbreak from contaminated fresh diced onions. Public Health’s investigation then identified that all three people became sick after eating at IHOP in Bellevue. We didn’t identify a specific food or drink that all had eaten.

Environmental Health investigators visited the restaurant and found:

• The restaurant had already gotten rid of all the recalled onions in October 2023, and
• There were no identified concerns with the food preparation process.

IHOP completed a deep cleaning and provided food safety training for restaurant staff.

In March, Public Health re-opened the investigation after we found out about another person who became sick after eating at this IHOP.

In response, Public Health tested surfaces in the restaurant. One tested positive for the same strain of Salmonella that the sick people had. Public Health then:

• Closed the restaurant on April 10 and had them do a deep cleaning and disinfection.
• Allowed the restaurant to reopen April 12 after Environmental Health investigators went to the restaurant to make sure they did a deep cleaning and disinfection of the restaurant.

Repeat testing of the restaurant surfaces after they reopened were negative for Salmonella. Note: because only small areas of the restaurant can be tested at any one time, negative tests do not prove that Salmonella is not still there.

In May 2024, Public Health found out about more people who became sick after eating at the restaurant after reopening in April.

In response, Public Health:

• Closed the restaurant on May 24.
• Tested various surfaces in the restaurant, which were negative for Salmonella.
• Made the restaurant do an extensive deep cleaning and disinfection, which was done by an industrial cleaning company.
• Required regular testing of the restaurant surfaces for Salmonella, which will take place every 3 months for the next year.
• Required restaurant management to make sure restaurant staff are not sick before they start work, every time.
• Required more frequent cleaning and disinfection of the restaurant until this outbreak is over.
• Allowed the restaurant to reopen on June 7.

Restaurant management also voluntarily tested all staff. One restaurant staff member tested positive for Salmonella but had no signs of being sick. Public Health made sure that the staff member had two negative Salmonella results before returning to work.

In June, Public Health again found out about more people who became sick after eating at IHOP in Bellevue after they reopened June 7.

In response, Public Health:

• Closed the restaurant again on June 27.
• Tested the restaurant surfaces, which were negative for Salmonella.
• Made sure the restaurant did more extensive cleaning and disinfection.
• Allowed the restaurant to reopen on July 6, 2024.