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ST. LOUIS COUNTY — As the number of E. coli cases continues to grow, health officials on Thursday said two infected people have developed a rare but serious blood disease.

County health officials have now recorded 106 cases of E. coli connected to five different events all catered by Andre’s Banquet and Catering earlier this month, according to ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ County spokesman Doug Moore. That's up from 97 cases on Tuesday.

Two of those people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, Moore said, a condition that causes blood to clot and can damage kidneys and other organs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Anyone can get the disease, which can lead to life-threatening kidney failure, but it's most common in people who have E. coli infections.

Many types of E. coli are harmless. But 0157, the strain in this week's outbreak, produces a toxin that can cause severe diarrhea and lead to kidney failure, especially in young children or older adults, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Andre's, the catering company, found itself at the center of the E. coli outbreak over the weekend when ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ County health officials said that 64 suspected or confirmed E. coli cases were tied to two Rockwood Summit High School events that had featured food from the catering company — one event was held at the school and the other took place at an Andre's location.

On Monday, the number of cases jumped to 94. Then, on Tuesday, officials said 97 cases were linked to the Rockwood events and three other gatherings: two catered funeral-related events on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9, and an Oakville Senior High School band banquet at an Andre’s location on Nov. 6.

Moore on Thursday did not immediately have the total number of infected people who have been admitted to the hospital. Thirteen students have been hospitalized. 

He said that at all five events, people who fell ill had eaten salad provided by Andre’s. Health officials have sent samples of lettuce from Andre's for testing. Those results were expected by the end of the week.

But John Armengol Jr., the second-generation owner of Andre’s Banquets and Catering, has been adamant that the claims his company is tied to the outbreak are “not true at all" and said health officials were on "a witch hunt."

Armengol is now facing legal trouble because of the outbreak.

At least four people, including parents of infected high schoolers, have filed personal injury lawsuits against his company.

Kelsey Landis of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.