By:Angela Marshall
Although many people were shying away from Ayhan's Shish Kebab in Rockville Centre, Shahin Bina didn't think twice about going to eat at one of his favorite restaurants this week. Despite the fact that Ayhan's had been at the center of a food-born bacteria outbreak making dozens of Long Island residents sick and sending some to the hospital, Bina had lunch at the restaurant Monday.
They have a good reputation and good food, said Bina, a dentist who has been a longtime customer of Ayhan Hassan, owner of the five restaurants involved. Bina said he has enjoyed eating at Hassan's Rockville Centre and Port Washington restaurants.
He was joined by fellow dentist Joe Fusco, who said he has eaten at the restaurant several times. The food is good and I trust them, he said after lunch. Besides, now is the best time to eat here because you know they'll make sure the food is safe.
According to the Nassau County Health Department, there have been 26 lab-confirmed cases of Shigellosis, an infectious disease that causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, in Nassau County since the outbreak was reported in late May. Although there have been only 26 confirmed cases, including eight employees, the Health Department has received over 600 reports of illness.
The Shigella germ, which causes the disease, is found in the intestinal tract and can be spread when carriers do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom.
Cynthia Brown, health department spokesperson, said they believe the disease was spread via uncooked foods served at all of Hassan's five restaurants, including the newly-opened RVC location at 201 Sunrise Highway.
It is believed that contaminated food was served from May 23 through 30. Anyone who ate or purchased food at the restaurants during this time and who is experiencing symptoms is urged to contact their own doctor, who, in tern, will report confirmed cases to the health department.
Brown said it is important for anyone who was exposed to the disease to wash their hands thoroughly so that they do not spread it.
The health department requested help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help pin down the cause of the outbreak. It is unclear whether the germ was introduced by an employee at Hassan's Port Washington restaurant, where certain ready-to-eat foods are prepared centrally and shipped out to his other locations, or was already on the food prior to delivery.
Brown said Hassan's workers may have contracted the disease from eating at the restaurants themselves and, therefore, cannot be considered the only means of transmission.
Employees found to be positive will not be allowed to return to work until after their tests have come back negative for the disease three times.
According to the CDC, about 18,000 cases of shigellosis are reported in the United States every year. In addition, their Web site said that because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be 20 times greater.
Dominic Barbara, Hassan's attorney, did not return calls from the Herald. However, Brown said Hassan has been very cooperative and complied with all of the health department's requests.
A.G. Simpson contributed to this story.
