5 more cases of E.coli reported after outbreak at Ballard restaurant

The Matador restaurant in Ballard remains closed while King County Public Health investigates source of E. coli contamination. The same strain of bacteria has now sickened 10 people, six have been linked to the Matador. less The Matador restaurant in Ballard remains closed while King County Public Health investigates source of E. coli contamination. The same strain of bacteria has now sickened 10 people, six have been linked to the ... more Photo: KOMO Photo: KOMO Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 5 more cases of E.coli reported after outbreak at Ballard restaurant 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

At least ten people have now been sickened by the same strain of E. coli bacteria and six of those cases are confirmed to be linked to the Matador restaurant in Ballard, King County Public Health said Monday.

"It's a lot of sleepless nights for sure. It's very disappointing. It's concerning to think that we violated some sort of trust or confidence in the community," said Tom Small, chief culinary chef for Opper Melang Restaurants.

Five additional cases were reported after health officials announced on Friday that five people were sickened after eating at the Matador in late August.

The new cases include two people who don't live in King County and three people who live out of state. One of the out-of-state cases had a meal at the Matador in late August or early September, according to health officials.

Health officials said Monday, they don't believe the outbreak is still ongoing, because the last known meal date of people who got sick from eating at the Matador was August 22nd. But, they said it is possible for health authorities to still find people who became sick during that time frame.

King County Public Health is still collecting information from those who became sick, and is working with the State Health Department to gather information on the new cases.

The Matador remains closed while the Health Department investigated the source of the contamination. Health officials said this specific strain of E.coli has not been seen before in Washington state.

"We're doing everything we can as we're closed," said Small. "We're going through the kitchen and making sure that we're cleaning everything the very best we can."

"We care about the community and want to make sure there's no chance that there's anything that we may do ongoing that may be a concern to anybody," he added.

The Health Department said anyone who has eaten at Matador and developed diarrhea within 10 days should consult with their healthcare provider to determine if E. coli testing is necessary.