Wellesley Health Department (WHD) received notice by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) surveillance system on June 12, 2013 of a case of E. coli in a Wellesley resident.

The public health nurse at WHD promptly began an investigation. This investigation has expanded to include the State health department (MDPH), as well as WHD staff.

It has been brought to the WHD’s attention that additional cases of E. coli will be included in the investigation.

The origin of the cases’ illness is being investigated.

Rumors have been circulating that the cause of the illnesses has been linked to a local supermarket. At this point, no local supermarkets are a focus of the investigation.

WHD will provide updates as warranted.

Raw milk products from Pure Éire dairy in Othello are being recalled due to the possibility of E. coli contamination.

Dairy owner Richard Smith said the company is voluntarily recalling its organic raw milk products dated June 8 and later. The recalled milk is sold in half-gallon glass and plastic containers and one-gallon plastic containers.

Settler’s Country Market is the only retailer in Grant and Adams counties that sells the recalled milk products, said Smith. They have a location in both Ephrata and Moses Lake, he said.

Smith said Washington State Department of Agriculture officials discovered the product may have been contaminated with E. coli during a recent routine monthly sampling.

“They said it was a possible contamination, it wasn’t confirmed,” he said. “But we’ve always stated that we’re going to act with an abundance of caution and we’re going to have to pull the products off the shelf.”

Smith said there have been no reports of human illness associated with the recalled raw milk.

Coco Loco restaurant in College Station was the source of the E. coli that caused illnesses in the Bryan/College Station area, according to health officials.  At a Brazos County Health Department press conference Tuesday afternoon, officials stated they had tracked the bacteria back to ground beef at the Coco Loco location in the 300 block of George Bush Drive. While they said it was not a 100 percent certainty, they said it was “highly likely.”

In all, there were five confirmed cases of E. coli from April, including two children who were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome in Houston. Five other cases were unconfirmed.

According to AccessGeorgia.com, the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Stephens County, Georgia has grown to 11 confirmed cases linked to the BBQ Shack in Toccoa, Georgia.

“The Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), the North Health District, and the Stephens County Health Department continue to investigate an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections that occurred during early May,” said District 2 Public Health spokesman Dave Palmer.

Palmer said 10 of the cases were Georgia residents, while the other was a South Carolina resident.

Seven of those victims were hospitalized as a result of the infections, with five of those diagnosed with a complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), he said.

“Ten of the 11 case-patients reported eating at the BBQ Shack in Toccoa during the weekend of May 2-4,” Palmer said. “No other common exposures were reported among case-patients.”

WTAW reports that the Brazos County Health Department reports the source of 10 recent E. coli infections was ground beef served at a local restaurant.  However, the Department has not yet named the restaurant.

Investigators believe five confirmed cases and five probable cases made up an isolated incident and is not an ongoing threat to public health.  It is not known if the cause was due to improper temperature, improper cooking, or cross-contamination.

The health department says the unidentified restaurant has been fully cooperative during the investigation. Control measures have been implemented to prevent further cases including, mandatory glove use by employees and continuous monitoring by the health department.

Charlie Bauder of WNEG News reports that area health officials are reporting that they have seen seven recently reported cases of E. coli in the Stephens County area.  District Two Public Health Spokesman Dave Palmer said that the cases have all appeared in the past couple of weeks.

“At this time, we know that it is the most common type of E. coli we see and it is not uncommon for us to see cases of E. Coli, but to see a large number like this, it is a little uncommon,” said Palmer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, E. coli is a bacteria that is found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals.  Palmer said people can come into contact with it in a number of ways.

Palmer said anyone with those symptoms in the Stephens County area should see their doctor.

Palmer said they are continuing to investigate these seven cases and find out more information about them.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 19 states. Three additional ill persons have been reported from Missouri (1) and Ohio (2).  The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons are female. Among 29 persons with available information, 9 (31%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Information available to date indicates that consumption of Farm Rich brand frozen food products is one likely source of infection for the ill persons in this outbreak.  The outbreak strain of STEC O121 has been identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons in Texas and New York.  On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation expanded its recall to include all Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.  The recalled products had “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

The Brazos County Health Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services are investigating five cases of a possible fatal strain of E. coli O157:H7 found in Brazos County residents.

The health department confirms that two children, Eighteen-month-old Noah Melton and 4-year-old Jack Melton, are in the hospital. According to news reports, the boys are in fair condition at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Three local adults have also been confirmed to have E. coli O157:H7. All cases have been confirmed within the last week by the health department, the most recent coming Monday.

Three additional local cases are also under investigation, but have yet to be confirmed.

The sources of the E. coli O157:H7 have not been confirmed.

Details of Illnesses: The CDC announced an addition five ill, bringing the total to 32 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 reported from 18 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (4), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).  81% of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger.  35% of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Environmental Investigation: The outbreak strain of STEC O121 has been identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons.  The Outbreaks Section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas.  The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain from an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

Recall Information: On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation expanded its recall to include all Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.  The recalled products had “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014.  Download PDF of retail establishments: 025-2013, Frozen Chicken Quesadilla and Other Snack Products (E. coli O121).

About E. coli: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

A total of 27 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) have been reported from 15 states.

81% of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger.

35% of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Information available to date indicates that consumption of Farm Rich brand frozen food products is one likely source of infection for the ill persons in this outbreak.  The outbreak strain of STEC O121 has been identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons.

The Outbreaks Section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas.

The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain from an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas from an ill person’s home.