The announcement came Friday, after 23 additional people were reported to have contracted the O157:H7 bacteria strain, bringing the total number of those affected by the outbreak up to 40 people, across 16 states. It was also noted that 28—more than half—of the people affected have been hospitalized for E. coli-related illnesses since initial reports of the outbreak came on Wednesday.
“FDA and states are tracing the source of the romaine lettuce eaten by ill people,” the CDC wrote in its advisory. “Preliminary information indicates that some of the ill people ate lettuce grown in Salinas, California. No common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified.”
First reports of the illness came to the CDC on September 24. So far, the outbreak has affected individuals between the ages of three and 89, with a median age of 22. According to the CDC, five people infected with the bacteria had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure associated with E. coli.
The onset of symptoms—which can include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and vomiting—typically become noticeable to people who’ve “swallowed the germ” within two to eight days, doctors have said.
“Most people recover within five to seven days,” the Maryland Department of Health wrote earlier this week. “Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening. E. coli O157:H7 infections can lead to serious complications, like hemolytic uremic syndrome, which may be fatal.”
On Wednesday, Maryland’s health department discovered the O157:H7 E. coli strain in a box of Ready Pac Foods Bistro Chicken Caesar Salad after seven people had reported illnesses across the state. The following day, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that New Jersey-based food manufacturer Missa Bay LLC had recalled salad products for fear of contamination.
“We are concerned about the potential for contaminated lettuce on store shelves and in people’s refrigerators,” Dr. Robert Tauxe, director of the CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases told USA Today. “Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, it is critically important to avoid buying or eating romaine lettuce from the Salinas growing area so you can protect yourself and your family.”
