YUMA, Ariz. -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned foodservice operators not to serve chopped romaine lettuce from Yuma, Ariz., after determining the produce could be the cause of an E. coli outbreak that has now spread to 11 states.
The CDC advises operators to check with their suppliers and distributors to confirm the source of the lettuce they use. The federal watchdog has not identified a particular brand of lettuce or a particular distributor that carries it.
The alert, issued late April 13, says that 35 people have now been sickened after coming into contact with a particular strain of E. coli. Twenty-three have been hospitalized, including three with a form of kidney failure, one of the more serious effects of an E. coli contamination.
The CDC said the contaminations occurred from March 22-31. The states with reported cases now include New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Idaho and Washington.
Authorities have investigated a restaurant in New Jersey as one of the potential sources of contamination but have not confirmed it as a source.
E. coli bacteria can be spread through undercooked food or transferred directly from one person to another through contact. It causes a variety of symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea. It has been known to be fatal for children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
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