CLOQUET (AP) - State health officials are investigating an outbreak of about two dozen suspected cases of E. coli on a Chippewa reservation in northeastern Minnesota.

More than a handful of cases have been confirmed as E. coli. But environmental health supervisor April Bogard with the Minnesota Department of Health says the final numbers will fluctuate as health officials receive more lab results.

Community members from the Fond du Lac band began reporting symptoms late last week, and two patients were briefly hospitalized.

The Health Department is interviewing patients and seeking the source of the outbreak, which might be  linked to mishandling of leftover food.

E. coli can cause stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Early testing indicates the contamination is not linked to the statewide outbreak reported last week.

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