E. coli Outbreaks

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As of April 25, 2018, 84 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 19 states. Alaska 5, Arizona 5, California 13, Colorado 2, Connecticut 2, Georgia 1, Idaho 10, Illinois 1, Louisiana 1, Michigan 2, Missouri 1, Montana 7, New Jersey 7, New York 2, Ohio 3, Pennsylvania 18, South Dakota 1, Virginia 1, Washington 2.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 13, 2018 to April 12, 2018. Ill people range in age from 1 to 88 years, with a median age of 31. Sixty-five percent of ill people are female. Forty-two ill people have been hospitalized, including nine people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure.

Illnesses that occurred after April 5, 2018, might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill with E. coli and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to three weeks.

State and local health officials continue to interview ill people to ask about the foods they ate and other exposures before they became ill. Sixty-four (96%) of 67 people interviewed reported eating romaine lettuce in the week before their illness started.

Information collected to date indicates that romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and could make people sick.

The CDC, several states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are investigating a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 infections. This investigation includes E. coli O157:H7 infections recently reported by the New Jersey Department of Health.  Illnesses reported by investigators in New Jersey also included ill people who had a diagnostic test showing they were infected with E. coli bacteria. Laboratory testing is ongoing to link their illnesses to the outbreak using DNA fingerprinting. Some people may not be included in CDC’s case count because no bacterial isolates are available for the DNA fingerprinting needed to link them to the outbreak.

As of April 9, 2018, 17 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 7 states. The 7 states are : Connecticut (2), Idaho (4), Missouri (1), New Jersey (6), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (2), and Washington (1). Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 22, 2018 to March 31, 2018. Ill people range in age from 12 to 84 years, with a median age of 41. Among ill people, 65% are female. Six ill people have been hospitalized, including one person who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

The investigation is still ongoing, and a specific food item, grocery store, or restaurant chain has not been identified as the source of infections.  State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures in the week before their illness started.

While its been confirmed that the five individuals who have tested positive for the bacteria ate at the restaurant, AHS said the establishment and its workers have not yet been confirmed as the source.

The restaurant has been cited for eight critical violations by AHS since 2016, including for improperly storing cooked food and having inadequate handwash supplies. No critical violations were noted in a follow up inspection on Sept. 22, 2017.

Alberta Health Services says the cases involve people who consumed food at Mama Nita’s Binalot restaurant in the city’s southeast.
AHS is asking anyone who ate at the restaurant after March 15 to monitor themselves for symptoms. In more severe forms of the disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome (a form of kidney failure) can develop.

EDMONTON – Health officials say they are working to determine the source of five confirmed cases of E. coli infection in Edmonton.
Restaurant owners, AHS said, have been cooperating with public health officials. Environmental Public Health inspected the restaurant Tuesday and the investigation is ongoing.

Environmental Public Health employees inspected the restaurant earlier this week and the investigation is ongoing.
Symptoms usually start one to 10 days after eating food contaminated with E. coli bacteria. If you are concerned or start to develop symptoms, please visit a healthcare clinic or your family physician as soon as possible. Its important that you mention your possible exposure to E. coli O157:H7.

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Anyone with questions or concerns can contact Health Link to speak to a registered nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by dialing 811.

Federal and state health officials are investigating a multistate Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 17 people in 13 states, and preliminary tests by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the outbreak strain is closely related to one in Canada that has been associated with romaine lettuce.

The CDC said illness onsets range from Nov 15 through Dec 8, according to a press release today sent to journalists. Affected states include California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington.

State and local authorities are interviewing sick people to see what they ate in the week before they became ill. Because a source of the US infections hasn’t been identified, the CDC said it is unable to recommend if US residents should avoid a particular food. “This investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available,” it said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) issued its first announcement about an E coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce on Dec 11. In a Dec 21 update, it said it is so far investigating 40 cases from five provinces: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. It urged the public to avoid eating romaine lettuce until more is known about the contamination.

One person is dead, two more provinces are reporting illnesses and nine more people are confirmed sick, but no one has recalled any products, named any brands, or identified any retailers who sold fresh romaine lettuce that is implicated in an E. coli outbreak in Canada.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported the death and additional victims late Thursday. The agency first acknowledged the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak Monday, reporting 21 people confirmed sick across three provinces, Quebec, New Brunswick and Labrador and Newfoundland.

Canadian health officials added Ontario and Nova Scotia to the outbreak map Thursday when they increased the confirmed victim count to 30. The outbreak update did not indicate what province had recorded the death.

The most recent person became sick on Dec. 2, suggesting the implicated romaine lettuce could still be in the stream of commerce. Canadian officials have not reported whether the romaine lettuce identified by victims was whole head, leaves, hearts or chopped.

“Many individuals who became sick reported eating romaine lettuce before their illnesses occurred,” according to the outbreak from the federal health agency. “The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working with public health officials to determine the source of the romaine lettuce that ill individuals were exposed to.

“At this time, there are no product recalls associated with this outbreak. The outbreak investigation is ongoing, and this public health notice will be updated on a regular basis as the investigation evolves.”

It is likely additional victims will be identified because it can take up to 10 days after exposure for symptoms to develop. Then, it can take several weeks from the time a person becomes ill to when the illness is reported and testing confirms a link to the outbreak, according to the public health agency.

Of the 19 people for whom specific information is available, illness onset dates range from Nov. 16 through Dec. 2. A dozen of the victims have had symptoms so severs that they required hospitalization. The age range of the victims is 4 to 80 years old.

The public health agency notice does not indicate when federal officials became aware of the outbreak or why it was not revealed to the public until Dec. 11.

Approximately 214 recruits at both MCRD San Diego and the command’s field training facilities at Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, Calif., are symptomatic of E.Coli exposure with diarrheal illness as of Nov. 1. Of the 214 recruits undergoing treatment, 26 are new cases among the more than 5500 recruits in training. Twelve recruits are admitted to an off-base medical facility while the remainder are being cared for aboard the base.

“The command’s full effort is focused on caring for those recruits who are affected, ensuring we limit any spread of the illness, and identifying the source of the infection,” said Brig. Gen. William Jurney, commanding general, MCRD San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region.

The below updated actions highlight current efforts in addition to what has been previously released:

– Samples and specimens have been forwarded for testing to the US Army Public Health Command located aboard Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, where they will be tested and processed by the Food Analysis and Diagnostic Lab to determine the cause of the illness.

– Preventative Medicine Units at Naval Medical Center San Diego and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton continue to inspect all messing facilities for cleanliness, food storage, and handling procedures.

– Food menu alterations have been adopted for infected personnel to better facilitate maintaining diet and recovery.

Family members will be contacted by the command if a recruit is hospitalized or his graduation date changes due to missed training resulting from sickness. Every effort will be made to allow recruits to complete missed training with their original training unit in order to remain on track for their planned graduation date.

Troy Neumann of WKBT reports several recent cases of E. coli are concerning some residents of the La Crosse area.

The La Crosse County Health Department is currently investigating eight reported cases of E. coli in the county. The strain found in our area is known to cause diarrhea, potentially hospitalizing young children.

The Health Department says good hygiene is one of the best and easiest things you can do to prevent an E. coli infection.

“Good hand washing after using the bathroom, good hand washing after changing diapers, good hand washing before preparing food, and good hand washing after coming in from outside are all those hand hygiene things that we would recommend that people do,” said La Crosse County Health Department Health Education Manager Paula Silha.

The La Crosse County Health Department is still investigating eight reports of E. coli in the La Crosse area.

According to Food Safety News, the E. coli outbreak in southwest Utah that has already killed two is growing, and public health officials there have warned people to avoid consuming raw milk or recently purchased ground beef.

Officials with the Southwest Utah Public Health Department initially reported six victims in a July 3 health alert. As of Tuesday, 11 victims had been confirmed. The first victim was a 3-year-old boy who died in June. He and the other fatality, a 6-year-old girl, were not related but they lived in the same apartment building in Hildale.

The source of the outbreak in Hildale, UT, remains under investigation, according to health department spokesman David Heaton who is quoted in local media reports.

Heaton told the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper on Tuesday that the public alert about raw milk and “recently purchased ground beef” is a standard warning and that there is not a confirmed link to such products. He also told the newspaper there could be multiple sources for the E. coli, or the original patient could have contaminated food or surfaces, resulting in additional people becoming infected.

E-COLI-300x200There are now 30 cases of E. coli O121 under investigation.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has added more brands to its recall list of flour and flour based products, over further fears of E. coli contamination.

“It is not safe to taste or eat raw dough or batter regardless of the type of flour used, as raw flour can be contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E. coli O121,” wrote the CFIA in a news release.

The latest recall includes durum atta flour, a flour used to make South Asian flatbreads, and sooji flour, which is used in Indian and Pakistani desserts.

Also added to the list are bread flours, including whole wheat and multigrain bread flours.

Although the bacteria may not cause contaminated food to look or smell spoiled, the CFIA says it can still make you sick.

Possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps, and watery to bloody diarrhea.

The flour recall has been ongoing since April.

Ardent Mills has issued a recall on the following products:

– Creative Baker, all purpose flour, 10 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 285 SK and 2017 OC 11; 6 286 SK,and 2017 OC 12; 6 312 SK and 2017 NO 07; 6 313 SK and 2017 NO 08.

– Creative Baker, all purpose flour, 20 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 293 SK and 2017 OC 19; 6 309 SK and 2017 NO 04.

– Creative Baker, whole wheat flour, 20 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 280 SK and 2017 AL 06; 6 307 SK and 2017 MA 02; 6 308 SK and 2017 MA 03; 6 28622 10131 0

– Brodie, self raising cake & pastry flour, 1 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 313 548 and 2018 FB 08; 6 314 548 and 2018 FB 09.

– Brodie, self raising cake & pastry flour, 2.5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 294 548 and 2018 JA 20; 6 294 548 and 2018 JA 21.

– Golden Temple, No. 1 fine durum atta flour blend, 9 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 286 548 and 2018 JA 12; 6 287 548 and 2018 JA 13; 6 299 548 and 2018 JA 25; 6 300 548 and 2018 JA 26.

– Golden Temple, durum atta flour blend, 9 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 286 548 and 2018 JA 12; 6 287 548 and 2018 JA 13; 6 299 548 and 2018 JA 25; 6 300 548 and 2018 JA 26.

– Golden Temple, atta wheat flour, 9 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 279 548 and 2018 JA 05; 6 280 548 and 2018 JA 06; 6 292 548 and 2018 JA; 18 6 293 548 and 2018 JA 19.

– Golden Temple, sooji creamy wheat, 2 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 293 548 and 2018 JA 19; 6 312 548 and 2018 FE 07; 6 313 548 and 2018 FE 08.

– Purity, wheatlets, 550 g: Lot codes containing: 6 317 548 and 2018 FE 12; 6 318 548 and 2018 FE 13.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, original, 1 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 312 548 and 2018 MA 07; 6 313 548 and 2018 MA 08.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, original, 2.5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 278 548 and 2018 AL 04; 6 279 548 and 2018 AL 05; 6 280 548 and 2018 AL 06; 6 296 548 and 2018 AL 22; 6 297 548 and 2018 AL 23; 6 298 548 and 2018 AL 24; 6 310 548 and 2018 MA 05; 6 311 548 and 2018 MA 06 6 319 548 and 2018 MA 14.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, original, 5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 305 548 and 2018 AL 30; 6 306 548 and 2018 MA 01; 6 317 548 and 2018 MA 12; 6 318 548 and 2018 MA 13.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, original, 10 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 292 548 and 2018 AL 18; 6 295 548 and 2018 AL 21; 6 298 548 and 2018 AL 24; 6 301 548 and 2018 AL 27; 6 305 548 and 2018 AL 30; 6 306 548 and 2018 MA 01; 6 308 548 and 2018 MA 03; 6 309 548 and 2018 MA 04; 6 312 548 and 2018 MA 07; 6 313 548 and 2018 MA 08; 6 314 548 and 2018 MA 09; 6 319 548 and 2018 MA 14.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, unbleached, 2.5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 297 548 and 2018 AL 23; 6 298 548 and 2018 AL 24; 6 308 548 and 2018 MA 03; 6 309 548 and 2018 MA 04.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, unbleached, 5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 302 548 and 2018 AL 28; 6 303 548 and 2018 AL 29; 6 304 548 and 2018 AL 30; 6 317 548 and 2018 MA 12.

– Robin Hood, all purpose flour, whole wheat, 2.5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 285 548 and 2018 JA 11; 6 286 548 and 2018 JA 12; 6 295 548 and 2018 JA 21; 6 296 548 and 2018 JA 22; 6 309 548 and 2018 FE 04; 6 310 548 and 2018 FE 05.

– Robin Hood, best for bread flour homestyle, white, 5 kg: Lot codes containing: 6 303 548 and 2018 AL 29; 6 314 548 and 2018 MA 09; 6 316 548 and 2018 MA 11; 6 317 548 and 2018 MA 12.

The Boston Globe reported last night reported that an E. coli O157: H7 outbreak had shuttered three locations of the Chicken & Rice Guys, as well as its fleet of Middle Eastern food trucks, Boston health inspectors said Tuesday.

Today, that number jumped to 15 with at least 10 people hospitalized.

The department confirmed 15 cases of E. coli O157: H7 stemming from the Chicken & Rice Guys Allston location, which supplies food to the chain’s other outposts. The problems led to the suspension of its operating license.

The company’s four food trucks, which rotate locations around Greater Boston, were taken off the road Tuesday afternoon.

According to Boston Inspectional Services, the city received an anonymous complaint and opened an investigation Tuesday. Public health officials remained at the Allston site throughout the afternoon trying to determine a specific source of the outbreak.