E. Coli Nationwide Outbreak Grows To 53 Infected, With 7 NJ Cases

The nationwide E. coli outbreak continues to grow and the number of cases has jumped to 53 infected in 16 states including seven cases in four different New Jersey counties, according to the health officials.

The number jumped from 35 cases in 11 states reported as of Friday, April 13. This new number adds 18 more people infected and five more states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Louisiana, and Montana.

Additionally, nine more infected people were hospitalized, including two people who developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome(HUC), according to the CDC.

Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination. People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

A Flemington woman, Louise Fraser, said she was one of those infected with E. coli which developed into HUC. Fraser is suing the Panera Bread location in Raritan where she says ate a salad contaminated with E. coli. (See Related: Woman Infected With E. Coli Sues Panera Bread In Raritan)

Chopped romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, Ariz. region has been identified as the likely source of the nationwide E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, according to an investigation by the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. (See Related: Source Of NJ E.Coli Outbreak ID'd As Cases Reported In 4 Counties)

Those infected have reported illnesses starting from March 13 to April 6 and range in age from 10 to 85 years, with a median age of 34 — of which, 70 percent of ill people are female, according to the CDC.

More cases may still be reported. It takes an average of two to three weeks between the time someone is ill to when the illness is reported. So cases after March 29 may have not been reported yet.

Those reported infected have said 41 or 95 percent of 43 people interviewed reported eating romaine lettuce in the week before their illness started, according to the CDC.

Most people reported eating a salad at a restaurant, and romaine lettuce was the only common ingredient identified among the salads eaten. The restaurants reported using bagged, chopped romaine lettuce to make salads. At this time, ill people are not reporting whole heads or hearts of romaine, according to the CDC.

The CDC has still not identified a grower, supplier, distributor, or brand.

In New Jersey, the Warren County Health Department had previously said New Jersey had E. coli cases that potentially originated from "local Panera Breads," but it's unknown if all the cases are related. (See Related: Panera Bread Possible Culprit In E. Coli Cases In 4 NJ Counties)

States reported infected cases include:

• Alaska - 1
• Arizona - 3
• California - 1
• Connecticut - 2
• Idaho - 10
• Illinois - 1
• Louisiana - 1
• Michigan - 2
• Missouri - 1
• Montana - 6
• New Jersey - 7
• New York - 2
• Ohio - 2
• Pennsylvania - 12
• Virginia - 1
• Washington - 1

The CDC advises that anyone who has symptoms of E.coli should write down what they ate in the week before they became sick. The illness should be reported to the local health department.

The CDC offers these tips to avoid exposure to the bacteria:

• Wash your hands. Wash hands after using the restroom or changing diapers, before and after preparing or eating food, and after contact with animals.
• Cook meats thoroughly to kill harmful germs. Cook steaks and roasts to at least 145˚F and let rest for 3 minutes after you remove meat from the grill or stove. Cook ground beef and pork to at least 160˚F. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the meat.
• Don't cross-contaminate food preparation areas. Thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, unless the package says the contents have been washed.
• Avoid raw milk, other unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices.
• Don't prepare food or drink for others when you are sick.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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