The Kentucky E. coli O103 outbreak that is linked to ground beef is now at 65 confirmed cases. Eight people have been hospitalized, and none have developed HUS. Barbara Fox, Public Information Officer for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in that state gave this information to Food Poisoning Bulletin.
This outbreak started in Kentucky, when public health officials found that 20 people were sick with the same strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria in late March 2019. The outbreak has grown by leaps and bounds. With information we now have, we know that at least 131 people in 6 states are sick.
The case count by state is: Indiana (1), Georgia (27), Kentucky (65), Ohio (7), Tennessee (28), and Virginia (2). The patient age range is from less than 1 to 83, but the median patient age is 18.
That median age may be giving investigators an important clue. While patients told investigators that they ate ground beef at home and in restaurants the week before they got sick, teenagers are more likely to eat at fast food outlets. At the beginning of the outbreak, officials thought that a fast food chain may have been associated with these illnesses.
Attorney Fred Pritzker said, “Even when you recover from this infection, there is still a risk you will develop a serious complication in the future.” Call 1-888-377-8900 for help.
Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients sickened with E. coli bacteria in lawsuits against producers, grocery stores, and restaurants, said, “We certainly hope the investigators identify a source for this pathogen soon. The beef could have been contaminated anywhere along the supply chain. When the source is identified, diagnosis of new cases should slow down.”
Symptoms of an E. coli infection include very painful abdominal and stomach cramps, and diarrhea that is bloody and watery. Symptoms usually start a few days to a week after a person eats food contaminated with this pathogen.
If you have been ill with these symptoms, especially if you have recently eaten ground beef, see your doctor. You may be part of this Kentucky E. coli O103 outbreak.
The law firm of Pritzker Hageman helps people sickened by contaminated food such as contaminated ground beef protect their legal rights, and get compensation and justice. Our lawyers represent patients and the families of children sickened with bacterial infections in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against retailers, food producers, food processors, restaurants, schools, and others. Attorney Fred Pritzker and his team won $7.5 million for young client whose kidneys failed because of hemolytic uremic syndrome after an E. coli infection. Class action lawsuits may not be appropriate for outbreak victims because the cases are so unique.
