Big Sky Times

On July 25, the Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) confirmed that ground beef was the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Flathead County. The specific source was identified as wagyu beef from one lot number, consumed as undercooked or made-to-order burgers at various restaurants in the county. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024.

The affected restaurants include Gunsight Saloon, Hops Downtown Grill, Tamarack Brewing Company, the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, and Harbor Grille. One individual has died after consuming wagyu beef at Harbor Grille.

Patients were infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157, which can result from eating raw or undercooked contaminated animal products. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness. In some cases, it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that may cause kidney failure and death.

Other establishments—Flathead Fish, the Crawdad Café, and Flathead Lake Lodge—received contaminated wagyu beef but reported no illnesses. Public health staff ensured all remaining contaminated beef was removed from use once identified. Samples were sent to the DPHHS Montana Public Health Laboratory for confirmation.

“All restaurants involved in this outbreak investigation have been incredibly cooperative,” said Jennifer Rankosky, Health Officer of FCCHD. “They were willing to assist us in our investigative efforts and they all voluntarily removed the wagyu beef once we were able to identify it as the source of concern.”

The Health Department advises individuals to take precautions to prevent foodborne illness.

For more information about E. coli and illness prevention tips, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/about/index.html.