The News Tribune reported today that more Salmonella cases continue to be reported in Mid-Missouri, bringing the total to 36 as of Monday.

Fourteen of the 36 reported cases involve individuals who ate at the same (Mystery) Jefferson City restaurant, said Cole County Health Department Director Kristi Campbell, noting those numbers include cases from Cole as well as surrounding counties.

“It is a very common Salmonella strain that is in eggs and chicken,” Campbell said.

She did not specify the restaurant in question, as inspections and code enforcement of restaurants in city limits are under the city’s jurisdiction, but said the city and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MODHSS) are working with the restaurant.

Campbell noted lab results from all 36 reported cases show the same Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern. PFGE testing identifies the specific fingerprint of the Salmonella strain. The MODHSS State Public Health Laboratory performs these tests in Missouri.