Athens City-County Health Department officials are investigating an outbreak of salmonella poisoning. Administrator Chuck Hammer says 12 people have shown symptoms so far. Positive test results have come back on three of those people. Hammer says six people have been hospitalized.
Many of the people have what Hammer calls a similar food history. Hammer says investigators from his department have been out inspecting Casa Lopez on East State Street in Athens for the last couple of days. He says nothing was found that would warrant closing the restaurant or a need to warn the public about it. Casa Lopez remains a licensed operation. Some items from the restaurant were taken for testing.