Quad Cities residents are not going to soon forget the Hepatitis A outbreak at the Milan McDonald’s.

An Alpha, IL couple, Nichole and John Shannon, became the latest to sue McDonald’s and Milan, IL franchise owner Kevin Murphy in Rock Island County Circuit Court late last week. Mrs. Shannon was hospitalized from July 11-17, tested positive for the Hepatitis A virus, and suffered from liver damage, according the lawsuit.

The Milan McDonald’s was closed July15-17 on orders from the Rock Island County Health Department. The department took the action when a second McDonald’s employee was diagnosed with Hepatitis A on July 15.

At least 32 people testing positive for Hepatitis A are now associated in the Milan McDonald’s outbreak.   Counties in both western Illinois and eastern Iowa have contributed to the count. Eighteen of those cases are from Rock Island County where the fast food burger joint is located.

In addition to the injured, 5,324 people who made the mistake of dining at the establishment took advantage of the health department’s offer for free vaccines, which can prevent sickness from occurring after exposure. 

Those exposed to the virus and got shots are part of a class action lawsuit that has also been filed.