HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Sept. 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A complete of 97 folks throughout six states have now been made ailing by E. coli, in an outbreak probably tied to contaminated lettuce used in sandwiches bought at Wendy’s eating places.
“Since the last update on August 25, 2022, 13 more illnesses have been reported to CDC,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentioned in an up to date assertion launched Thursday. Two states — Kentucky and New York (with one case every) — have now been added to the record of states reporting instances, which additionally consists of Michigan (58 instances), Ohio (24), Indiana (11) and Pennsylvania (2 ).
Illnesses from an infection with the gastrointestinal bacterium have typically been extreme.
“Of 81 people with information available, 43 have been hospitalized and 10 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure,” the CDC mentioned, though “no deaths have been reported.”
The actual supply of the outbreak has nonetheless not been formally confirmed, however the CDC mentioned that in 67 instances the place investigators requested what folks had eaten in the week prior to turning into ailing, 81% reported that they’d eaten at Wendy’s.
“Of 54 people with detailed information about what they ate at Wendys, 37 [69%] reported eating romaine lettuce served on burgers and sandwiches,” the company famous.
On Aug. 19, Wendy’s introduced that it had eliminated romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“Wendys is taking the precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants in that region,” the CDC mentioned on the time. “Investigators are working to confirm whether romaine lettuce is the source of this outbreak, and whether romaine lettuce used in Wendys sandwiches was served or sold at other businesses.”
Romaine lettuce bought in grocery shops doesn’t seem to be affected, the CDC mentioned, and other people can nonetheless eat at Wendys and eat the romaine lettuce in the salads it sells. Wendys defined in a press release that the lettuce used in its salads just isn’t the identical as that used in its sandwiches.
“We are fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in certain midwestern states,” the corporate mentioned on the time. “While the CDC has not yet confirmed a specific food as the source of that outbreak, we are taking the precaution of discarding and replacing the sandwich lettuce at some restaurants in that region.”
Most folks with an E. coli an infection “start feeling sick 3 to 4 days after eating or drinking something that contains the bacteria,” the CDC mentioned. “However, illnesses can start anywhere from 1 to 10 days after exposure.” Illnesses usually final from 5 to 7 days.
What to Do:
- Watch for signs of extreme E. coli, which embrace diarrhea lasting greater than three days or diarrhea accompanied by a fever increased than 102F, bloody diarrhea, vomiting and an absence of urination.
- If you endure from these signs, name your physician instantly.
- Keep observe of what and the place you ate in the week earlier than you bought sick and report it to your native or state well being division.
More data
For extra on the outbreak, head to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SOURCES: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, information launch, Aug. 25, 2022; Wendy’s, assertion, Aug. 19, 2022
