TL;DR: Two San Diego County STEC infections are part of a nine-case California outbreak linked to beef kofta at The Kebab Shop, and officials say the implicated dish was withdrawn by May 18, 2026.
What happened in San Diego County
San Diego County health officials confirmed two local infections with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli after meals at local outlets of The Kebab Shop, according to the San Diego County News Center.
One of the two local patients required hospital care and has since been discharged. The county did not identify the particular restaurant addresses tied to those illnesses in its May 22, 2026 announcement.
The county notice urged anyone who ate at the chain between March 27 and April 30, 2026, and then developed intestinal illness, to obtain medical care promptly. That exposure window matches the illness-onset range described statewide.
County investigators are addressing the local illnesses jointly with state and federal partners. The county said its Public Health Services Epidemiology unit and its Department of Environmental Health and Quality are participating in the investigation.
How large is the statewide outbreak
Statewide, nine STEC cases across five California counties have been tied to the chain's beef kofta dish, according to the San Diego County News Center.
Six of the nine patients are children. Five people have been hospitalized. Two hospitalized patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, described by the county as a serious complication that can injure the kidneys and is sometimes fatal.
No deaths have been reported. No illnesses outside California are currently connected to the outbreak, the county said.
A separate outbreak notice summarized by Food Safety News gave the same statewide total as of May 19, 2026, and identified the outbreak strain as E. coli O157:H7. Illness-onset dates in that summary also ranged from March 27 through April 30.
Which food is implicated
Interviews with ill people pointed to grilled beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop as the likely source, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
The product is described in state and county reports as seasoned ground-beef kebabs, grilled beef kofta, or the chain's beef kofta dish. Officials said current information suggests the implicated beef product was distributed only to The Kebab Shop.
The California Department of Public Health is leading the investigation. The department said it continues to investigate the cause, monitor for additional ill persons, and conduct product testing.
The Kebab Shop is cooperating fully with public-health officials, county and state reports said. Restaurants inspected as part of the investigation confirmed compliance with health and safety regulations, according to a company statement reported by NBC 7 San Diego.
Why officials say current risk has ended
The chain voluntarily paused sales of grilled beef kofta at all locations, according to Food Safety News.
County officials said the restaurant stopped selling the beef dish on or before May 18. Health officials said customers are no longer at risk from eating the product.
Chief Executive Officer Arian Baryalai said the company immediately stopped all sales of ground beef nationwide on May 18, 2026, after the California Department of Public Health linked the product as a potential source, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
The company also said there is no ongoing risk associated with the issue. It said all other proteins sold at its restaurants come from different suppliers and are not associated with the issue.
The California Department of Public Health likewise said the risk of exposure to the product is not ongoing at this time. It added that the product had been voluntarily removed nationwide on May 18, 2026.
Who faces the highest risk
County public health officer Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan said children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk from STEC infections.
The statewide patient profile underscores that warning. Six of the nine confirmed California illnesses involved children, according to county and state summaries.
Two patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. The county described that condition as a serious complication that can cause kidney damage, while the state health department summary reported by NBC 7 San Diego described it as a severe complication that can lead to kidney failure.
Parents and caregivers therefore received particular attention in the county advisory. The county asked people who visited the chain during the March 27 to April 30 period and developed stomach symptoms to seek medical help right away.
Symptoms and when they appear
STEC symptoms typically begin three to four days after eating or drinking something contaminated with the bacteria, according to the San Diego County News Center.
Common symptoms listed by the county include severe abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea and vomiting. A state summary reported by NBC 7 San Diego similarly listed diarrhea, often bloody, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
Consumers who ate beef kofta from any location of The Kebab Shop and develop symptoms within 10 days were urged to contact a health care provider, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
People with these symptoms should contact their health care provider. The county also directed residents to its online information page to learn more about E. coli.
What to do with leftover food
Consumers were advised to discard any leftover grilled beef kofta from the restaurant chain, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
That advice applies even if the food looks or smells normal, because contamination cannot be recognized by appearance. The specific recommendation was to throw away remaining portions rather than save or reheat them.
Health officials also reminded consumers to cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. They additionally advised washing and sanitizing surfaces or utensils that may have come into contact with raw or undercooked beef.
Those kitchen steps were presented as general precautions alongside the product-specific instruction to discard leftovers. They do not replace medical advice for someone who already has bloody diarrhea, vomiting or severe cramps.
How to contact health officials or the company
The Kebab Shop established a guest line at 888-965-5821, available from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, and throughout the Memorial Day weekend, May 23-24, 2026, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
Guests may also write to [email protected]. The company said it is closely coordinating with public-health authorities.
At the county level, the Epidemiology unit and Department of Environmental Health and Quality are working with state and federal health officials on the local investigation. The California Department of Public Health said it and partner agencies continue to investigate, monitor for additional illnesses and conduct product testing.
Anyone with symptoms after eating beef kofta at the chain was asked to contact a health care provider. Prompt care is especially important for children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Where the restaurants operate
The Kebab Shop opened its first location in downtown San Diego in 2007, according to its website as reported by NBC 7 San Diego.
The chain has multiple locations throughout San Diego County, from East Village to San Marcos. State reports linked seasoned ground-beef kebabs served at multiple California locations in Southern and Northern California.
The company also has multiple locations in Orange and Los Angeles counties and the Bay Area. The county report did not specify which San Diego County outlets were associated with the two local infections.
Officials said interviews indicated grilled beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop was the likely outbreak source. The investigation remains open while agencies identify the cause and watch for additional cases.