E. Coli Outbreak Traced to SoCal Restaurant

California health officials said on May 22 that an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was linked to beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop, a fast-casual chain with locations in Northern and Southern California. The California Department of Public Health said nine California residents were infected with the outbreak strain, with illness onset dates from March 27 through April 30. Six of the illnesses were in children, five people were hospitalized and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that can lead to kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. ### Which restaurant and menu item did investigators identify? The California Department of Public Health said interviews with sick people indicated grilled beef kofta — seasoned ground beef kebabs — served at The Kebab Shop was the likely source of the outbreak. The agency said the chain voluntarily paused sales of grilled beef kofta at all locations on May 18 and is cooperating with the investigation. (cdph.ca.gov) The Kebab Shop chief executive Arian Baryalai said in a statement carried by NBC 7 San Diego that the company “immediately stopped all sales of ground beef (beef kofta) nationwide on May 18, 2026, after CDPH linked the product as a potential source of the outbreak.” Baryalai said other proteins sold by the chain come from different suppliers and were not associated with the issue. (cdph.ca.gov) ### How many people got sick, and where does the timeline start? As of May 19, nine California residents had been infected with the outbreak strain, according to CDPH. The agency said illness onset dates ranged from March 27 through April 30, and no people from other states were linked to the outbreak at the time of its notice. San Diego County officials said two of the nine California cases were tied to meals eaten at San Diego County locations of The Kebab Shop. (nbcsandiego.com) NBC 7 San Diego reported that one of those two patients had been hospitalized and later released. ### Why are children a major part of this outbreak? (cdph.ca.gov) CDPH said six of the nine illnesses were in children. The agency also said young children face the highest risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a serious complication that can lead to acute kidney failure. Food Safety News, citing the state outbreak notice, reported that 5% to 10% of people diagnosed with E. coli infections develop HUS. (nbcsandiego.com) Symptoms listed by public health officials include diarrhea that is often bloody, vomiting and abdominal cramps, with symptoms usually starting three to four days after infection. ### What are health officials telling customers to do now? (cdph.ca.gov) CDPH said consumers who ate beef kofta from any location of The Kebab Shop and became sick with symptoms of STEC infection within 10 days should contact a health care provider. The agency also told consumers to discard any leftover beef kofta. The state said the risk of exposure to the product was not ongoing because grilled beef kofta sales had been paused. (cdph.ca.gov) CDPH nevertheless said it was advising consumers to be aware of possible exposure tied to meals previously purchased at the chain’s California locations. ### What is still under investigation? CDPH said current information suggests the implicated beef product was distributed only to The Kebab Shop. (cdph.ca.gov) The agency said it is working with local health departments and federal partners to identify the cause of the outbreak, monitor for additional illnesses and conduct product testing. Baryalai said the company had set up a guest hotline and email address for customers with questions. (cdph.ca.gov) CDPH said additional updates would depend on the ongoing investigation and any newly identified illnesses linked to meals eaten before the May 18 sales pause. (nbcsandiego.com)