A raw milk E. coli outbreak has sickened at least two people in Washington state, according to the Washington State Department of Health. The patients got sick in mid-January and early February 2024. The patients were sickened with the same, highly related strain of Shiga toxin-producing E coli (STEC) bacteria. Both patients drank raw, or unpasteurized, milk, produced by Cozy Vale Creamery in Tenino, Washington, shortly before getting sick.
The patients live in two counties: Grays Harbor and Pierce. On February 16, 2024, Cozy Vale Creamery recalled their raw milk and cream because of STEC contamination. The STEC bacteria in the milk was a different strain than the one that caused the two recent illnesses. At this time, there are no known illnesses associated with the strain found in the raw milk products.
The recalled raw milk and raw cream products were bottled in gallon, half-gallon, quart, and pint containers and sold at retail stores in western Washington state. They have best by dates ranging from 2/18/24 through 2/29/24. The investigation is ongoing, and officials may identify more raw dairy products. If this happens, consumers will be updated by the Department of Health.
If you have the recalled Cozy Vale Creamery products at home, do not drink them or use them in cooking. You can throw them away. If you pour them down the sink, sanitize your sink afterwards with a mild bleach solution.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection include severe and painful stomach and abdominal cramps, diarrhea which is usually bloody, vomiting, and a low grade fever. Some patients, especially children under the age of 5, may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, after a STEC infection.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
