Matt Hongoltz-Hetling reports that South Royalton Worthy Burger is the likely link to a recent E. coli outbreak, which is now thought to have sickened at least 11 people from three states. As with the nine previously identified cases, the illnesses involve people who ate at Worthy Burger, which features locally-sourced beef.

Ten of the 11 Worthy Burger diners ate at the restaurant between late August and September 17. One of the original nine cases involved a diner who ate at Worthy Burger on September 22, the day that the restaurant reopened. That prompted further visits from state health officials, and led the restaurant to reconsider its practices in regards to rare burgers. Health officials routinely warn that rare burgers have not been cooked to the 155 degrees needed to kill the bacteria.

Worthy Burger co-owner and executive chef Jason Merrill confirmed that the restaurant, which used to advertise its signature burger as “pink in the middle,” is now thoroughly cooking all of its burgers.

Also according to Matt Hongoltz-Hetling , Elizabeth Doherty, a 22-year-old Vermont Law School student who has been diagnosed with E. coli, said she ate a hamburger that she considered to be undercooked at Worthy Burger on September 22.

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