Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Issaquah Costco: Health Officials

ISSAQUAH, WA - King County health officials are tracking a possible salmonella outbreak linked to the Costco in Issaquah. Seven people have been sickened, and the source may be the deli counter, according to officials.

After reports of illnesses, health inspectors visited the Coscto in August and found some violations in the deli area, including inconsistent handwashing practices and improper cleaning of food surfaces. A return visit in September turned up similar violations, according to King County. The deli was asked to temporarily stop serving ready-to-eat food.

"Since August 28, 2017, we have learned of seven King County residents who tested positive for Salmonella I,4,[5], 12:i:- infections. DNA fingerprinting was performed on the Salmonella bacteria from the seven people who got sick and was identical for all cases, suggesting a common source of infection. Illness onsets occurred sporadically during August 28, 2017–July 13, 2018, and a common epidemiological link among all cases was not established until August 2018; no single food item prepared by the service deli has been identified as the source of the illnesses," the county wrote in a bulletin about the outbreak.

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