LAKE STEVENS, Wash. -- A Lake Stevens restaurant connected to sickening more than a dozen people with E. coli bacteria has gotten approval to reopen, said Suzanne Pate of the Snohomish Health District.

The Ixtapa Family Mexican Restaurant at 303 91st Ave. NE in Lake Stevens closed its doors Tuesday after health district officials tracked 13 cases of E. coli illness to the restaurant.

In order to comply with the cleanup, the restaurant sanitized the entire restaurant, disposed of opened food, replaced cutting boards and all employees were retrained in all aspects of food safety, said Rick Zahalka, Food Program Manager for Snohomish Health District.

The E. coli cases began to emerge last week with the onset of the illness occurring between Oct. 7 and Oct. 17.

On Tuesday, it was reported that 13 of 17 people were sick after eating a meal at the restaurant. Now there are a total of 17 out of 19 cases that had gotten sick.

Four people were hospitalized for a brief time, but are now recovering at home.

The restaurant said it will reopen as soon as shipments of ingredients arrive.

Health officials are still investigating what particular food made them sick.

The Snohomish Health District said symptoms of E. coli include bloody diarrhea and stomach cramping with little or no fever. People who experience these symptoms should contact their health care provider.

Some people could develop a more serious condition that could cause kidney failure or even death. Young children and the elderly are at increased risk of these complications. You can take simple steps to reduce the risk of E. coli infection:

1. Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Make sure children also wash their hands well.
2. Wash hands well before and after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat.
3. Wash hands thoroughly after handling animals or pets and their waste.
4. Cook all meat, especially ground beef, thoroughly. Cook ground beef to 155 degrees. Make certain that cooked meat is gray or brown (not pink).
5. Clean all utensils and surfaces after contact with raw meat.
6. Use only pasteurized milk and milk products.
7. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
8. Keep infected children away from other children and the elderly.
9. Do not drink untreated water.

For general information about E. coli, go to the CDC’s Web site.