E. Coli Outbreak: CDC Says Throw Out Romaine Lettuce

ACROSS COLORADO – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Tuesday saying there is a multi-state E. Coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce under investigation. In the alert, the CDC said it is advising consumers in the U.S. not to eat any romaine lettuce and advising retailers and restaurants not to serve or sell romaine lettuce until the agency learns more information about the outbreak.

According to the CDC, 32 people in 11 states have been infected with E. Coli in the latest outbreak. The illnesses started on dates ranging from Oct. 8-31. The CDC says at least 13 people were hospitalized and one person developed a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

Additionally, 18 people have become ill in two Canadian provinces.

In the U.S., the E.Coli cases were reported in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The CDC said consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their homes should throw it away even if some of it was eaten and no one got sick.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released the following statement:

Customers who have already bought romaine lettuce or products containing romaine lettuce, including bagged salads, whole heads, hearts, salad mixes or prepared salads and cannot confirm the source, are being asked to throw them away and do not eat them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that people have become ill after eating romaine lettuce grown or originating from the winter growing areas of Yuma, Arizona. This region generally supplies romaine lettuce to the U.S. during November - March each year. No specific grower, supplier, distributor or brand has been identified at this time. For more information, go to www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm604254.htm.

Here's what the CDC further said about the advice to throw away any type of romaine lettuce:

• This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.
• If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
• Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.

Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing romaine, the CDC said.

The current outbreak is not related to the most recent E.Coli outbreak that the agency said was over as of June 28.

E. Coli symptoms vary from person to person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, according to the CDC. Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high. Some infections are mild while others may be servere or life-threatening. The CDC warns that about 5-10 percent of people develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure.

Most people become ill about three to four days after consuming something that contains the bacteria but illnesses can start anywhere between one to 10 days after exposure, the CDC says.

Here's the CDC's advice for those with symptoms of E.Coli:

• Talk to your health care provider.
• Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
• Report your illness to the health department.
• Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

By Feroze Dhanoa, Patch National Staff

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