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Only a couple of days ago we were reporting on a coffee shop closed after a student took a photo of a mouse munching on a cheese roll. Today we learn that Cora Pizza was closed after dead rats and fresh rad droppings were found on the premises.

CBC publishes an informative and somehow strange interview with Dr. Howard Shapiro, Toronto’s associate medical officer.

Toronto Public Health shut down the pizzeria — located near Spadina Avenue and Harbord Street — on Monday, saying the owners failed to prevent "gross unsanitary conditions."

The risk of rodent contamination "to any one particular person, I think, is small," said Dr. Howard Shapiro, Toronto's associate medical officer of health.

"But if it's an ongoing issue … there's a concern with the mice contaminating the food with an organism that might cause a diarrheal illness — maybe something like salmonella or campylobacter that might be in some of the refuse that's in and around the area," he told CBC News.

Cora has already drawn the attention of Toronto Public Health twice this year. In June, an inspector gave the restaurant a "conditional pass" after uncovering unsanitary conditions there.

The restaurant was also cited in March for having rodents and other unsanitary conditions.

Restaurants that are found to have committed repeat health violations are being held accountable for their numerous failures, Shapiro insisted.

"If there is a record of repeat violations … the fines that can be issued against somebody will increase. These can be in the thousands or sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. That can be, I think, a substantial deterrent to repeating." (…)

Health inspectors close about 40 eating establishments every year. About half the closures are related to rodent complaints, said Shapiro.

“I don’t know why the stories have come to light at this particular time, but the reports in the media are not correlated with increases in rodent infestations in local restaurants.”

Toronto Star even publishes a photo of the place:

Too much negativity? Then enjoy Steven Davey’s top 10 Toronto Restaurants of 2009, below.

Sources / More info: cbc, torstar, dinesafe-cora, ds-entry, now-best

Overheard, cora, dinesafe, toronto, rats, crap, droppings, food, health, safety, contamination

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