A restaurant in Northern Jordan, serving mostly schoolchildren, was shut down after its falafel meals were allegedly found to be contaminated with human faeces, hospitalising more than 55 people last week.
The outbreak caused widespread public anger, and the restaurant, located in Irbid Governorate, was shut down by the Jordan Food and Drug Administration on Thursday.
Officials said that initial laboratory tests confirmed the presence of faecal contamination and dangerous bacterial growth in samples of food served. Early findings detected both E. coli and Shigella, highly infectious bacteria that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
The restaurant was an unlicensed operation run by a local schoolteacher serving falafel meals to students at two nearby schools.
Dr. Ayman Maqableh, director of epidemiology at the Ministry of Health, said at least 42 students had sought medical care in hospitals and clinics over the past two days, with eight admitted for treatment. Three remain under close observation.
One of the restaurant’s workers tested positive for Shigella, suggesting that the bacteria could have been transmitted during food handling by the employee or through inadequately washed vegetables, he added.
The Ministry of Health stressed that the situation was ‘under control’ and that treatment and monitoring protocols had been activated. It urged families to observe strict hygiene practices, particularly handwashing, to reduce the risk of further infections.
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