The e-coli romaine lettuce outbreak has now spread to 4 more states and has officially affected 149 people since first being announced by the CDC on April 10th.
They are continuing to warn all US citizens not to eat romaine lettuce, or any products containing romaine lettuce at restaurants and at home.
According to the CDC’s latest May 9th update:
- Twenty-eight more ill people from 12 states were added to this investigation since the last update on May 2, 2018.
- Four more states have reported ill people: Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Texas
- The most recent illness started on April 25, 2018. Illnesses that occurred in the last two to three weeks might not yet be reported because of the time between when a person becomes ill with E. coli and when the illness is reported to CDC.
Ill people range in age from 1 to 88 years, with a median age of 30. Seventy percent of ill people are female. Thirty-one ill people have been hospitalized, including five people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure.
The CDC is instructing everyone to “Throw away all chopped romaine lettuce, including salad mixes containing romaine, and any other foods stored with it or touching it…”
Check your fridge! Throw away all chopped romaine lettuce, including salad mixes containing romaine, and any other foods stored with it or touching it. Clean and sanitize all fridge, counter, and food surfaces with warm soapy water. https://t.co/wjPqDgq2At pic.twitter.com/8asTJTSwci
— CDC (@CDCgov) April 19, 2018
They also noted that the infected lettuce is coming out of Yuma, Az;
E. coli Outbreak Update: Based on new data, CDC advises throwing away whole heads of romaine and hearts of romaine, plus chopped romaine and salad mixes, from Yuma, Arizona growing region. https://t.co/WTdyf3IWsY pic.twitter.com/F1RHsL3rt4
— CDC (@CDCgov) April 20, 2018
Do you know anyone who has recently become ill after eating romaine?