There are seven Washington E. coli O157:H7 cases in the Simple Truth Power Greens outbreak, according to the Washington State Department of Health. The salads were sold at QFC and Fred Meyer grocery stores in the state. Officials are telling anyone who purchased that product with best by dates through December 20, 2021 should discard them immediately.
The seven Washington E. coli cases cases live in King, Snohomish, Whatcom, Pierce, Thurston, Mason, and Skagit counties. One person from each county got sick in late November and early December 2021. Two people have been hospitalized, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a kind of kidney failure.
Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases said in a statement, “E. coli O157:H7 can cause serious illness. If you notice symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea, contact your health care provider right away. Even if you ate some of the product and did not get sick, throw the rest away.”
Because the expiration date on the bagged salad was more than two weeks ago, restaurants and retailers do not need to take any action. This product should no longer be available for purchase, but consumers could still have some in their home refrigerators.
Symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection usually occur three to four days after eating food contaminated with the pathogen. Symptoms include a mild fever, possible nausea and vomiting, and painful abdominal cramps along with bloody diarrhea. Symptoms of HUS include little or no urine output, easy bruising, lethargy and fatigue, pale skin, and bleeding from the nose or mouth. While most HUS patients are under the age of five, anyone of any age can develop this serious complication.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if they ate those salad greens.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with an E. coli O157::H7 infection after eating Simple Truth Organic Power Greens, please contact our experienced attorneys for help at 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202. We represent clients in lawsuits against grocery stores and food processors.
