At this time, three dozen more patients and two more US states are officially part of an E. coli outbreak traced to romaine, according to a renewed public alert from the CDC. As of this week 138 people across 25 states are on the books in the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The CDC has repeatedly stated that the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 matches the strain responsible for outbreaks in 2017 and 2018. Those outbreaks were linked to leafy greens and romaine lettuce, respectively.
The Food and Drug Administration is also investigating the outbreak. An investigation team consisting of staff from FDA, CDC, the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Food and Agriculture are attempting to identify any factors that could have led to contamination at a common farm identified by traceback, according to a statement posted today by the FDA.
Foodsafetynews.com reports that, of 136 ill people with information available in the outbreak, 72 hospitalizations have been reported, including 13 people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
