E.Coli Outbreak Spreads In Ohio, 12 Sickened

CLEVELAND — Twelve people in Ohio are now sick due to E.coli spread through romaine lettuce. Nearly 70 people nationwide have fallen ill from eating the lettuce, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

When new of the E.coli outbreak first spread, Ohio reported five confirmed cases of E.coli in residents. That number has more than doubled in less than two weeks.

Nationwide, the outbreak has sent 39 people to the hospital. The CDC estimates E.coli cases could continue coming in for two to four weeks.

"We expect the case counts to rise. It typically takes a couple of weeks for cases to be reported and included in the case counts. There are probably already more people who are sick. Their cases just have not been fully reported yet," said food poisoning lawyer Jory Lange when the outbreak was first announced.

The CDC is telling consumers not to eat any romaine lettuce that has been harvested from the growing region of Salinas, California.

In a warning issued a week before Thanksgiving and nearly a year after an almost identical warning in 2018, the agency is advising that "consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region."

Most romaine lettuce products are now labeled with a harvest location showing where they were grown. In a notice posted on their website, the Ohio Department of Health told residents, "if you don’t know or can’t tell where the romaine lettuce was grown, don’t eat it or buy it."

"If you get sick after eating romaine lettuce from the Salinas, CA, growing region or an unknown region, see your doctor and notify your local health department. Symptoms usually present three to four days after eating food contaminated," the Ohio Department of Health said.

Illnesses have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of E.coli infection vary from person to person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.

"Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high (less than 101˚F/38.5˚C)," the agency writes. " Most people get better within 5 to 7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening."

You can find more information about symptoms of E.coli infection via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the 2018 outbreak, the tainted lettuce was ultimately traced back to California. After having to issue such a broad warning in 2018, the Food and Drug Administration said new lettuce products entering the market would be labeled with a harvest location and date moving forward.