Ask the Mayor: Who Do I Call if I got Sick from a Food Establishment?

Sandwich. Maui Now Stock Photo

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his staff. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column. Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at (808) 270-7855, AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.

Dear Mayor:

Q: I ordered and ate a sandwich at a deli recently, but apparently it had been sitting out on the counter for a while and I came down with what seemed like food poisoning later in the day. Who do I call to report the illness?

A: If you’re comfortable doing so, you can contact the restaurant to let them know about the illness so management can check if basic sanitation measures are being followed. You can also contact the Maui District Health Office, Disease Investigation Branch, at ph. 984-8213 to let them know you got sick.

It’s helpful to provide as much detail about the day/time you purchased and consumed the food, as well as the symptoms you experienced and how long they lasted. This information helps the Department of Health collect data, which is especially important if there are any outbreaks of food-borne illness, or if this is simply a one-time occurrence. Either way, I hope you are feeling better.