The E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from Yuma, AZ has claimed the life of one person from California, according to the Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 121 people in 25 states have now been sickened, 14 of whom developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a form of kidney failure associated with E. coli infections. The CDC continues to warn consumers not consume romaine lettuce unless they know it was not grown in Yuma, AZ.
Since the CDC’s last update on this investigation, the outbreak has grown to include 23 more people and three more states with Massachusetts reporting two cases and Kentucky and Utah each reporting one. About half of all the case-patients, who range in age from 1 to 88 years old, have been hospitalized.
By state, the cases reported are as follows: Alaska (8), Arizona (8), California (24), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Georgia (4), Idaho (11), Illinois (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), Montana (8), New Jersey (7), New York (2), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (20), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (6), and Wisconsin (1).
The U.S. Food and Drg Administration (FDA) has confirmed that romaine lettuce is no longer being produced in or distributed from the Yuma growing region, but because romaine lettuce has a 21-day shelf life, some may still be in the supply chain.
Previously, the FDA identified Harrison Farms as the source of the whole-head romaine lettuce linked to E.coli illnesses reported at Anvil Mountain correctional facility in Alaska that are part of this outbreak. But, the agency has not yet determined where in the supply chain the contamination occurred. And the majority of illnesses in this outbreak are associated with chopped romaine lettuce, which many people reported eating at restaurants.
Health officials have not named the restaurants where some case-patients reported eating the contaminated romaine, but one lawsuit that has been filed named Panera Bread.
The FDA said in its update today that it is “working to identify multiple distribution channels that can explain the entirety of the nation-wide outbreak and are tracing back from multiple groupings of ill people located in diverse geographic areas.” The agency is investigating dozens of fields in the Yuma region, it said.
HUS is a life-threatening complication that affects between 5 percent and 10 percent of E. coli patients. Those most at risk are young children, seniors, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. E. coli symptoms include abdominal cramping and diarrhea that can bloody. Anyone with symptoms of HUS, which usually develop a week after initial E. coli symptoms, needs immediate, emergency medical attention.
HUS symptoms include:
- Pale skin
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weakness
- Decreased urination
- Unexplained bruises or bleeding
The E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Hageman have represented clients nationwide in nearly every major outbreak over the last 20 years including this one. If you or a loved one have been sickened by E. coli, contact them for a free, no-obligation consultation.