King County Health Links GI Illness Outbreak to SeaTac's 13 Coins Restaurant

Two people reported diarrhea and stomach pain after eating at 13 Coins in SeaTac on February 19, with symptoms hitting the same day they dined there, according to a King County Public Health investigation completed last week.

King County Public Health announced the findings in a public posting dated March 16. Neither patient was hospitalized, and no deaths were reported. Investigators interviewed both individuals about their symptoms and what they ate, then conducted an on-site inspection of the restaurant at 18000 International Blvd on March 4. That visit turned up no unsafe food handling practices, though the agency added a notable caveat: "This does not rule out the chance there may have been unsafe food practices which contributed to the illnesses on the day the food was prepared."

No specific food or drink item was identified as the source. The illness pattern, investigators said, was consistent with bacterial toxins, the kind produced when certain bacteria grow quickly in food left at room temperature. Bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens can grow rapidly when food sits in a temperature range between 41 and 135 degrees, producing toxins that cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps within hours of consumption. Officials said no laboratory testing was conducted, noting that illnesses caused by bacterial toxins often resolve quickly and may not be detectable by the time patients seek medical care.

None of the restaurant's employees reported gastrointestinal symptoms. The 13 Coins SeaTac location carries a current inspection rating of "Okay." King County Public Health has closed the investigation and said the outbreak appears to be over.

Anyone who believes they became ill from food prepared at a King County restaurant can report it to Public Health at (206) 296-4774.