Top Stories

CDC warns consumers to avoid eating any romaine lettuce amid E. coli outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a food safety alert days before Thanksgiving as there has been a multistate outbreak of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce.

An investigation by the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and public health and regulatory officials in several states and Canada found that the infections may be linked to the lettuce.

If you want to receive BREAKING ALERTS, please download our WPXI News App.  You can also follow WPXI on Facebook and Twitter. 

"CDC is advising that U.S. consumers not eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until we learn more about the outbreak," the group said in the Tuesday alert. "This investigation is ongoing and the advice will be updated as more information is available."

According to the alert, 32 people in 11 states reported they "have been infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7." The reports of onset illnesses range from Oct. 8 to Oct. 31. Thirteen people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

TRENDING NOW:

The CDC advised that restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any of the lettuce, even that included in mixed salad.

Those with any kind of romaine lettuce in their home, opened or not, should throw it out. Areas of the fridge where the lettuce was stored should be sanitized and washed.

Symptoms of an E. coli infection include diarrhea that lasts more than three days, diarrhea with blood in the stool, a high fever or vomiting to the point that you can't keep anything down and passing little urine.

More information on the alert, including how to sanitize and clean your fridge and the latest outbreak information, is at CDC.gov.

 

Cox Media Group

0

Most Read