An E. coli outbreak in the Northeastern United States linked to salad greens is now over , announced the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monday. The agency reported a total of 33 victims, up from the 28 counted in its last report.
The E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that caused the outbreak was traced back to a spring mix made by Massachusetts-based State Garden. Most of the illness occurred in New York state, which reported 26 cases. Other affected states were Massachusetts, which had three victims, Connecticut, which had two, and Pennsylvania and Virginia reported one illness apiece.
The first case began on October 18 of this year, and the last victim fell ill November 12, according to CDC’s final outbreak report.
Those sickened ranged in age from 4 to 66 years old, with a median age of 24.
Of the 28 patients for whom information was available, 46 percent were hospitalized. Two victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection characterized by kidney failure.
The leafy greens mix linked to the outbreak was pre-packaged and sold in plastic clam shell packages at Wegmans grocery stores in the Northeast.
Wegmans and State Garden both issued recalls of the implicated product.
