Health officials in San Jose announced on Tuesday that almost 80 people got ill after eating at a Mariscos San Juan restaurant. The people got ill as they ate food contaminated with Shigella Bacteria.

The Santa Clara County Public Health Department said in a statement that they started to receive reports caused due to the illness since Saturday October 17th. Infected people reported that they ate at the San Jose restaurant located at 205 N. 4th Street.

Customer who ate at the restaurant said the illness started with fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Condition of some of the people was serious and therefore had to be hospitalized. Almost 12 people were admitted to intensive care.

The health officials have confirmed only 15 cases of shigellosis, an infection caused after eating food contaminated with Shigella bacteria.

Officials said they have started investigation into the matter. Lab results from the additional cases will arrive very soon, they added.

The restaurant was closed down by the officials on Sunday, October 18, and said that it will remain closed until the source of the problem is being identified and eliminated completely.

Investigators carrying out the investigation said they are looking at all possible sources of contamination.

As per experts, Shigellosis is extremely contagious and gets transmitted through food contaminated with microscopic amounts of fecal matter containing Shigella bacteria.

Food can get contaminated if is handed by someone who already has Shigella bacteria on their hands. For example, in this case a food worker with shigellosis can be the source of transmission.