Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Warning Expanded; 2 Sickened In NY

The CDC has expanded its warning over romaine lettuce due to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened two people in New York. On Friday, the CDC said consumers should avoid all types of romaine lettuce unless it is confirmed not to be from the Yuma, Arizona growing region.

Previously, the CDC said not to eat bagged romaine lettuce from that region. The warning has been expanded now to include whole heads and hearts of romaine lettuce, in addition to chopped romaine and salads, as well as salad mixes containing romaine.

"Do not buy or eat romaine lettuce at a grocery store or restaurant unless you can confirm it is not from the Yuma, Arizona growing region," the CDC warned Friday. "Unless the source of the product is known, consumers anywhere in the United States who have any store-bought romaine lettuce at home should not eat it and should throw it away."

Sixteen states have been impacted by the outbreak.

The expanded warning announced Friday is based on information from newly reported illnesses in Alaska, where people reported eating lettuce from whole heads of romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region before falling ill.

As of Friday afternoon, 53 people have gotten sick and 31 people have been hospitalized due to the bacteria,. Five people have developed a potentially fatal type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
No deaths have been reported.

The following 16 states are included in the outbreak:

• Pennsylvania (12 cases)
• Idaho (10 cases)
• New Jersey (7 cases)
• Montana (6 cases)
• Arizona (3 cases)
• Michigan (2 cases)
• New York (2 cases)
• Connecticut (2 cases)
• Ohio (2 cases)
• Alaska (1 case)
• California (1 case)
• Illinois (1 case)
• Missouri (1 case)
• Louisiana (1 case)
• Virginia (1 case)
• Washington (1 case)

People usually get sick from E. coli between two and eight days after swallowing the germ. Symptoms include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within one week, according to federal health officials.

The CDC advises that anyone who has symptoms of E. coli should write down what they ate in the week before they became sick. The illness should be reported to the local health department.

Image via Shutterstock

Written by Patch staff