Seven sicked caused by under cooking.

John P. Gregg And Rick Jurgens, staff writers for the Valley News report that all seven people known or suspected to have become ill recently from E. coli O157:H7 contamination ate at Worthy Burger, a hamburger restaurant that highlights its reliance on locally sourced food. Bradley Tompkins, a health surveillance epidemiologist with the Vermont Department of Health, said the agency confirmed five cases and identified two “probable cases” of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a food-borne bacteria that can cause diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting and, in some cases, lead to serious illness including a potentially life-threatening kidney disorder called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

A Worthy Burger manager on Thursday confirmed that it had closed voluntarily for five days starting Sept. 17, had switched several food vendors, and made other changes. Among the changes the Health Department recommended is that Worthy Burger cook its hamburgers to 155 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds and check them with a thermometer to determine that they are cooked all the way through; change some of its vendors until the investigation is complete; do a thorough cleaning of the restaurant; and make clear it is abiding by a health department requirement that restaurants warn customers about eating raw or undercooked meat or seafood, Tompkins said.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.