Nearly 100 E. coli​ Cases Reported In Oakland County, 2 Others: Health Officials

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — State health officials urged Michiganders to practice food safety as they investigate a spike in E. coli cases found in three counties: Kent, Ottawa and Oakland, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.

Officials said they received reports of 98 E. coli cases in August, compared to 20 cases reported during the same time period in 2021. The investigation in to the reported cases is in its early stages. However, laboratory results have linked some of these cases to each other.

"While reports of E. coli illness typically increase during the warmer summer months, this significant jump in cases is alarming," MDHHS chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said. "This is a reminder to make sure to follow best practices when it comes to hand hygiene and food handling to prevent these kinds of foodborne illness. If you are experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection like cramping and diarrhea (or gastrointestinal distress), especially if they are severe, make sure to let your health care provider know."

Typical E. coli symptoms vary for each person, but often include:

• Severe stomach cramps
• Diarrhea – often bloody
• Vomiting
• Fever

E. coli symptoms usually appear three to four days after the exposure, but can also appear in as short as one day or as long as ten days. Symptoms often improve within five to seven days, state health officials said.

While some infections are very mild, others can be severe or even life-threatening, especially in younger children and older adults who may be more likely to experience severe illness, state health officials said.

Approximately 5 to 10 percent of people diagnosed with the E. coli infection develop a complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which typically appears seven days after symptoms begin, often when diarrhea is improving, state health officials said.

Symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome can include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired and losing color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids. People experiencing any of these symptoms should visit a health care provider as soon as possible.

Prevention of E. coli is often directly connected to proper hand hygiene and food handling practices, such as:

• Washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol: Before and after handling food, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper and after contact with animals or their environments, such as farms, petting zoos, fairs or even the backyard.
• Always marinating foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter or outdoors. Never reuse sauce on cooked food used to marinate raw meat or poultry.
• Never placing cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs. Be sure to have on hand plenty of clean utensils and platters.
• Never letting raw meat, poultry, eggs or cooked food sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Cooking meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Consumers should use a food thermometer as color is not an indicator of "doneness."
• Rinsing fruits and vegetables well under running water. There is no need to use soap.
• Avoiding raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products and unpasteurized juices (like fresh apple cider).
• Avoiding swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools and backyard “kiddie” pools.