Health leaders said seven people are in the hospital, and more than 30 have reported symptoms consistent with salmonellosis. Kayla Semonco and her boyfriend Parker Allred are two of those who had hospital visits are eating take-out from the restaurant.

Semonco and Allred went to Tarheel Q on June 17th, to celebrate Allred’s father’s birthday. The take-out they later ate, according to the pair, caused them and three other people to become ill in the following days.

“I have been sick for four or five days now, ” said Semonco. “I woke up this morning and was tired of being sick, so I went to the hospital to get fluids.”

Allred, traveling for a mission trip, found himself in a Pennsylvania hospital at the same time, also receiving fluids. He said he is feeling better and will be released soon

Salmonella is an enteric bacterium, meaning that it lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. Salmonella bacteria are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with human or animal feces. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal. They are often of animal origin, such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs, but all foods, including vegetables, may become contaminated. An infected food handler who neglects to wash his or her hands with soap and warm water after using the bathroom may also contaminate food.

Salmonella is the second most common foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 1.4 million cases of Salmonella occur each year with 95% of those caused by tainted food. The acute symptoms of Salmonella include the sudden onset of nausea, abdominal cramping, and bloody diarrhea and mucous over a period of days. While there is no cure, infected persons usually recover completely, although it may take months. A small number of people experience ongoing symptoms such as joint pain, which can lead to chronic arthritis.

North Carolina has seen its fair share:

Cleveland County Fair E. coli Outbreak – North Carolina (2012)

Crossroads Farm Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – North Carolina (2004)

Robeson Schools E. coli Outbreak Litigation – North Carolina (2001)

Olive Garden Hepatitis A Outbreak Lawsuit – North Carolina (2011)

Lancaster’s BBQ Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuit – North Carolina (2012)

Smiling Hara Tempeh Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits- North Carolina (2012)

Western Sizzlin’ Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits – North Carolina (2002)

Holiday Inn Bordeaux Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits – North Carolina (2013)

Salmonella: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants. The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.