The CDC reports as of May 1, 2018, 121 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 25 states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the Case Count Map page. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 13, 2018 to April 21, 2018. Ill people range in age from 1 to 88 years, with a median age of 29. Sixty-three percent of ill people are female. Of 102 people with information available, 52 (51%) have been hospitalized, including 14 people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. One death was reported from California.

Illnesses that occurred after April 11, 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.

There are 98 cases in 22 states: Alaska (8), Arizona (5), California (16), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Georgia (1), Idaho (10), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), Montana (8), New Jersey (7), New York (2), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (18), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), Washington (5), and Wisconsin (1). The current outbreak is not related to a recent multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to leafy greens. People in the previous outbreak were infected with a different DNA fingerprint of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

The most recent information collected by the FDA, in conjunction with federal, state, and local partners, indicates that the romaine lettuce that ill people ate was likely grown or originated from the winter growing areas in or around the Yuma region. This region generally supplies romaine lettuce to the U.S. during November-March each year.

The FDA has identified Harrison Farms as the source of the whole-head romaine lettuce that made several people ill at a correctional facility in Alaska. However, the agency has not determined where in the supply chain the contamination occurred. The FDA is examining all possibilities, including that contamination may have occurred at any point along the growing, harvesting, packaging, and distribution chain before reaching the Alaska correctional facility where it was served.

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.

As of April 18, 2018, 53 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 16 states. 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 and Washington 1.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 13, 2018 to April 6, 2018. Ill people range in age from 10 to 85 years, with a median age of 34. Seventy percent of ill people are female. Thirty-one ill people have been hospitalized, including five people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Illnesses that occurred after March 29, 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. Forty-one (95%) of 43 people interviewed reported eating romaine lettuce in the week before their illness started. 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. Information collected to date indicates that chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and could make people sick.

As of April 12, 2018, 35 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 11 states. Connecticut 2, Idaho 8, Illinois 1, Michigan 1, Missouri 1, New Jersey 7, New York 2, Ohio 2, Pennsylvania 9, Virginia 1 and Washington 1.  (CDC Report)

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 29. Sixty-nine percent of ill people are female. Twenty-two ill people have been hospitalized, including three people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

The current outbreak is not related to a recent multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to leafy greens. People in the previous outbreak were infected with a different DNA fingerprint of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

Epidemiologic evidence collected to date indicates that chopped romaine lettuce is the likely source of this outbreak. 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.

Traceback investigations are ongoing to determine the source of chopped romaine lettuce supplied to restaurant locations where ill people ate. At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified. However, preliminary information indicates that the chopped romaine lettuce was from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. Information collected to date indicates that chopped 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.

An unrevealed quantity of ground beef packaged for meal-kit provider GoodFood and distributed directly to consumers in at least five Canadian provinces is under recall after government tests showed E. coli contamination.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) posted the recall notice late Sunday, urging consumers to check their homes for the Good Boucher branded ground beef. The agency found the deadly E. coli O157:H7 species when it tested samples of the beef.

“Check to see if you have the products in your home. If the products are in your home, do not consume them,” according to the CFIA recall notice. “Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.”

No illnesses had been confirmed in connection to the recalled ground beef as of Sunday. The implicated beef, packaged for GoodFood, could have been distributed nationwide in Canada, according to the recall notice. It was definitely distributed in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

Additional products could be recalled if the CFIA finds that they include the ground beef from Good Boucher. The recalled ground beef can be identified by looking for the following label information:

Brand Name         Common Name       Size       Code(s) on Product         UPC
Good Boucher Lean Ground Beef 285 g Lot: 18-03-07
Best before: 2018-03-21		 None
Good Boucher Lean Ground Beef 510 g Lot: 18-03-05
Best before: 2018-03-19		 None
Good Boucher Lean Ground Beef 510 g Lot: 18-03-07
Best before: 2018-03-21		 None

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled ground beef and developed symptoms of E. coli poisoning should immediately seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to the pathogen. Specific lab tests but be conducted to diagnose food poisoning.

Symptoms of E. coli infection can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. The infection and complications are sometimes fatal.

High risk groups for severe illness and complications include young children, older and/or frail adults, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems such as diabetics, HIV patients, transplant recipients and cancer patients.

The FDA and the CDC, along with state and local health officials, have been investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 infections likely linked to leafy greens. There were 25 cases in 15 states; California (4), Connecticut (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Maryland (3), Michigan (1), Nebraska (1), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (1), New York (2), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (2), Vermont (1), Virginia (1), and Washington (1).

Illness onsets were between November 5 and December 12, 2017. Among the 21ill people for whom CDC has information, nine were hospitalized, including one person in California who died. Two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure.

Since the outbreak was identified, the FDA has been working with CDC and state and local partners on the investigation. The FDA’s role in outbreaks of this nature is to utilize food consumption information gained from interviews with people who got sick, trace those foods back through the distribution chain to the original source, and attempt to identify the source and route of contamination.

In Canada, as of January 10, 2018, there were 42 cases of E. coli O157 illness reported in five eastern provinces: Ontario (8), Quebec (15), New Brunswick (5), Nova Scotia (1), and Newfoundland and Labrador (13). Individuals became sick in November and early December 2017. Seventeen individuals were hospitalized. One individual died. Individuals who became ill were between the ages of 3 and 85 years of age. The majority of cases (74%) were female. There is no evidence to suggest that provinces in western Canada were affected by this outbreak.

Most of the individuals who became sick reported eating romaine lettuce before their illnesses occurred. Individuals reported eating romaine lettuce at home, as well as in prepared salads purchased at grocery stores, restaurants and fast food chains. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency worked with public health officials to determine the source of the romaine lettuce that ill individuals were exposed to. As part of the food safety investigation into the source of contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tested romaine lettuce for the presence of E. coli. All food samples have tested negative and no source of contamination has been identified.

The FDA has been in regular contact with Canadian health authorities to share information about the traceback investigation. The FDA’s investigation team has also reviewed information from previous outbreaks to see if there are any commonalities between those and the current outbreak. To date, no common leafy green grower source has been identified.

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.