The number of reported Shigellosis cases by Monday had risen to 182, according to the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, with the vast majority stemming from a Mexican seafood restaurant that remains closed.
Of the suspected cases, 72 are lab confirmed and 55 are in Santa Clara County, the agency reported.
There are 17 confirmed cases in other jurisdictions, including San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Marin and Merced counties, according to the health department.
Nearly all the sickened people reported eating at Mariscos San Juan No. 3 restaurant in San Jose on Oct. 16 or Oct. 17. An inspection report shows the restaurant's permit was suspended later that weekend.
The owners have been cooperating with county health inspectors, officials have said, but have refused several interview requests.
There are 6,800 restaurants in Santa Clara County, according to spokeswoman Gwendolyn Mitchell, and 38 environmental health specialists who inspect them between one to three times a year.
Shigella, the bacteria that causes Shigellosis, is drug resistant and is common among travelers. While most cases stem from improper food handling, the bacteria can spread quickly though a community, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
