A total of five people have died and 197 have been stricken with illness following a deadly E coli outbreak that has reached 35 states in the US, health officials have reported.

The nation’s largest multi-state E coli outbreak in more than a decade has been blamed upon contaminated Romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region of Arizona. The harvesting season for the lettuce ended in April so it’s unlikely that the tainted product is still being used in homes and restaurants.

Of the people who have fallen ill, 89 required hospitalization, according to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) report. The first E coli-related death, reported in early May in California, has now been followed by four more confirmed deaths across Arkansas, Minnesota and New York, the CDC said. Officials in Canada have also reported the presence of the same strain of E Coli in the country.

“Some people who became sick did not report eating romaine lettuce, but had close contact with someone else who got sick from eating romaine lettuce,” the CDC stated, adding that some illnesses may not be apparent due to the typical two to three week lag between the onset of sickness and reporting to authorities.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is investigating the outbreak with the CDC, said it is “examining all possibilities, including that contamination may have occurred at any point along the growing, harvesting, packaging, and distribution chain before reaching consumers”.

People who consume harmful E coli bacteria can experience symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, fatigue, nausea and vomiting within three to four days. Most people recover from this within a week but in some cases it can develop into more serious conditions such as kidney failure, which can be fatal.

Children aged under five-years-old, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk from E coli, although even healthy young adults can become “seriously ill,” the CDC said.

The FDA recommends that people wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot water before handling food, as well as keep their refrigerators clean. Those who experience symptoms similar to those infected by the E coli bacteria are urged to immediately seek medical treatment.



