Salmonella Scare Forces Temporary Closure Of Bemidji Burger Kings

State health officials have forced the temporary closure of two Bemidji Burger King restaurants.

Doug Schultz from the Minnesota Health Department tells Lakeland News that both locations in Bemidji were closed today because of recent cases of Salmonella.

Schultz says there are 27 confirmed cases of salmonella at the Burger King restaurants with another four cases considered probable cases of the food-borne illness. He says most of the cases stem from September, but some additional cases this past week caused the Health Department to step in.

A Burger King employee told Lakeland News the restaurants were closed for a deep cleaning and signs at one location expressed the same message.

Schultz says the outbreak does not appear to be related to a specific product.  Instead, the Minnesota Department of Health believes the illness may have been spread by an employee.

Health officials are requiring all of the restaurants’ employees to be checked out and cleared by doctors.

Schultz says the Burger Kings will likely be closed for about a week. He was not sure if there were cases of salmonella at both locations or just one of the restaurants, but both have been closed temporarily.