An E. coli outbreak concentrated in Tennessee and Kentucky has prompted recalls of over 160,000 pounds of ground beef from two manufacturers.

On Wednesday, Grant Park Packing of Franklin, Illinois, recalled 53,000 pounds of ground beef labeled "FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY" and sold as "North Star Imports & Sales, LLC. 100% GROUND BEEF BULK 80% LEAN/ 20% FAT" with packaging dates of Oct. 30, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2018.

The latest recall added to the 113,000 pounds of ground beef recalled by K2D Foods, doing business as Colorado Premium Foods, in Carrollton, Georgia, which announced its news Tuesday.

So far, 177 people are ill and 21 have been hospitalized with a strain of E. coli O103 — similar to the one identified in samples of the recalled beef across 10 states. Kentucky leads the affected states with 65 reported cases, followed by Tennessee with 52 and Georgia with 41, the Centers for Disease Control reported on Friday.

No deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.

K2D recalled the ground beef, packed on the dates March 26, March 29, April 2, April 5, April 10 and April 12, after some of the product tested positive for E. coli O103. It was collected from a Tennessee restaurant as part of the ongoing investigation being conducted by the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health.

The ground beef in 24-pound packages was shipped in cardboard boxes marked "Ground Beef Puck" with “Use Thru” dates of 4/14/19, 4/17/19, 4/20/19, 4/23/19, 4/28/19 and 4/30/19, the USDA says. The product was shipped to distributors in Port Orange, Florida, and Norcross, Georgia, which sent it to restaurants.

The voluntary recall was announced late Tuesday night, suggesting that federal and state officials involved understand the seriousness of the outbreak, said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety attorney and publisher of Food Safety News.

Those sickened in this outbreak have reported eating ground beef at home and in restaurants, the CDC says. The agency is not recommending that consumers avoid eating ground beef at this time. But consumers and restaurants should handle ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly to avoid passing on any illness, the CDC said.

E. coli infections typically occur three to four days after consuming the germ, the CDC said. It can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea — often bloody — and vomiting for around five to seven days.

In severe cases, patients may get hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. However, no cases of kidney failure have been reported in connection with this outbreak, officials said.

USA Today Tech/Money reporter Mike Snider contributed to this report.

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