The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising consumers in the U.S. not to eat any romaine lettuce and advising retailers and restaurants not to serve or sell romaine lettuce after an E. Coli outbreak. According to the CDC, 32 people in 11 states including one person in Connecticut have been infected with E. Coli in the latest outbreak. No deaths have been reported. 18 people have also become sick in Canada.
Below is advice from the CDC:
- Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick.
- This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.
- If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
- Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.
- Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing romaine.
Symptoms of E. Coli Infection (Symptoms of E. coli infection vary for each person, but often include the following):
- Severe stomach cramps
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high (less than 101˚F)
- Most people get better within 5 to 7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.
- Most people start feeling sick 3 to 4 days after eating or drinking something that contains the bacteria. However, illnesses can start anywhere from 1 to 10 days after exposure.
- Contact your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days or is accompanied by high fever, blood in the stool, or so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down and you pass very little urine
If you have symptoms of E. Coli infection:
- Talk to your healthcare provider.
- Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
- Report your illness to the health department.
- Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.
This investigation is ongoing, and CDC will provide more information as it becomes available.