100 People Contracted Deadly Disease After Eating At Same Restaurant

Reports says that more than 80 people contracted a bacterial infection that put 12 in intensive care after dining at a northern California Mexican seafood restaurant over the weekend.

Mariscos San Juan in downtown San Jose was closed after dozens of their customers came down with the 'very infectious' Shigella bacteria, which causes severe fever, diarrhea and stomach pain, according to public health officials.

The bacteria is spread by people who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom, according to Santa Clara County health officer Dr. Sara Cody.  

Health officials believe a contaminated food handler spread the disease and now worry that 100 more people could become infected this week, according to the San Jose Mercury News. 

'It doesn't take very much for this bacteria to spread,' Cody said. 

Shigella is treatable with antibiotics. It can be fatal in rare cases, but all persons infected over the weekend are expected to recover. No children were among the ill.

Cody said some of the 80 people who had become sick represented a 'small wave of secondary infections', meaning they were most likely infected by someone who had dined at Mariscos.

The Santa Clara County Public Health Department was notified of the outbreak after a local hospital received five cases on Saturday. 

Mariscos San Juan has since had its license suspended and will remain closed until 'the safety of the public can be assured', county officials said. 

Calls to the restaurant by The Associated Press rang unanswered Tuesday. 

Inspectors found nothing suspicious with the two additional Mariscos San Juan restaurants in San Jose and they remain open.