The Cook County Department of Health has confirmed that 97 people have been stricken with a gastrointestinal illness after eating at Bob Chinn’s Crab House in Wheeling, Illinois.  It is being reported that the numbers of ill persons are likely to increase, “because of the popularity of the restaurant and the volume of people that go through it” according to health department spokeswoman Amy Poore said.

The pathogen causing the illnesses is not known at this time, and test results are still pending.  The restaurant is already re-opened after being shut down on Tuesday.

The Daily-Herald report states:

Restaurant general manager Deno Roumanidakis said he closed the eatery voluntarily after receiving calls Monday from a couple of patrons complaining they felt ill after eating at the restaurant, 393 S. Milwaukee Ave.

There have been numerous restaurant based foodpoisoning outbreaks in Illinois in recent years.   These include:

• January 2011, Salmonella illnesses linked to sprouts, many through food sold at Jimmy John’s stores in Illinois.
• February and March, 2010, Shigella outbreak linked a Subway restaurantin Lombard, Illinois.  Marler Clark represents more than 70 of the victims.
• July, 2009, an outbreak of Hepatitis-A linked to a McDonalds in Milan, Illinois.