Staph Bacteria-infected Food Served at Shelter home; 50 fall Sick

On Friday, Utah Health officials announced that meals prepared at a soup kitchen were found to be having staph bacteria. Last week, the meals have caused food poisoning to more than 50 people living at a Salt Lake City homeless shelter.

The department officials have carried out research. As per this, the bacteria can be found on skin and it might have introduced to food when prepared with hands not covered with gloves and not heated or cooled properly.

Nicholas Rupp, a spokesman for the health department, said that for now, they do not have complete information on what was served to homeless people on Sunday and also, how the food was cooked. Rupp said that staph bacteria should not be mixed with drug-resistant staph bacteria found in hospital. The latter one is quite dangerous.

As soon as reports were received of multiple people vomiting at the Road Home shelter, emergency crews were called at the shelter on Sunday night. More than 50 people were admitted to hospital that day, but they were released on Monday.

No meals were served over the weekend. But those who stay there overnight have food from the same nearby kitchens and dining halls. The health department is not taking any action against the dining hall. But they have decided to increase its surprise inspections in order to ensure that all rules are properly followed. In the entire episode, the dining hall has cooperated.