O.C. closes restaurant tied to E. coli cases; Two more infections are linked to the Foothill Ranch Souplantation. Formal closure allows officials to more closely monitor its reopening.: [HOME EDITION]

A Lake Forest restaurant linked to an E. coli outbreak was closed Saturday by Orange County health officials after a 12th customer and an employee tested positive for the bacteria.

The customer, a juvenile, ate at the Foothill Ranch Souplantation on March 25, said Orange County Health Care Agency spokesman Howard Sutter. Sutter called the new case "a significant development" because the other cases involved customers who ate at the restaurant on March 23 or 24.

A company spokeswoman said the employee was a bus boy and was not involved in food preparation. Sutter said the employee ate meals at the restaurant, in the 26000 block of Towne Centre Drive, but health investigators have not determined if he was infected there or by an outside source.

Sutter said...