The FDA has issued a report on the deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce. A least 172 people in 32 states are sick in this outbreak. One person in California has died, 75 people have been hospitalized, and 20 have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. While FDA officials have identified Harrison Farms of Yuma, Arizona as the grower and sole source of the whole-head romaine that sickened eight in the Anvil Mountain Correctional Facility in Nome Alaska, they do not know where in the supply chain the contamination occurred. It could have been in the fields, during harvest, during processing, or during transport. The issue in this outbreak is that the romaine lettuce that would have made people sick wasn't available at exposure locations when ill people … [Read more...]
Lawsuits Filed as Deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to Romaine Grows to 172 Sick
Lawsuits are being filed as the deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak linked to romaine lettuce has now sickened 172 people in 32 states. That's an addition of 23 more ill persons since the last update 7 days ago. And three more states have reported patients: Iowa, Nebraska, and Oregon. The patient case count by state in this deadly E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is: Alaska (8), Arizona (8), California (39), Colorado (3), Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (4), Idaho (11), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (3), Michigan (5), Minnesota (12), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), Montana (8), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (8), New York (5), North Dakota (2), Ohio (6), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (21), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (3), Texas (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1), … [Read more...]
Patients Diagnosed with HUS in the E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Linked to Romaine Live in CA, ID, MN, and PA
In the deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region, 17 people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. That potentially deadly complication can occur in about 5 to 10% of patients in every Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreak. But in this outbreak, which has sickened 149 people in 29 states and has hosptialized 54, the HUS rate is 13% which is quite high. This could be because there are children, who are more likely to develop HUS than adults, among the patients. Where do those HUS patients live? We contacted the health departments of the states involved in this outbreak and asked. The California Department of Public Health stated that as of May 9, 2018, there are 30 people sickened in this outbreak in … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak at Cook County Jail Sickens Dozens; Lawsuits Possible
More than 50 inmates at the Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois were sickened with Salmonella infections, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office. News reports state that five cases of Salmonella food poisoning have been confirmed. And at least two inmates were hospitalized because they were so sick. Local public health officials are conducting an investigation along with the Cook County Department of Facilities Management and the sheriff's office. The outbreak took place in the jail's Division XI, which is located at 3015 South California Boulevard in Chicago. Data and studies show that prisons, just like hospitals and nursing homes, are at high risk for foodborne illness. Crowded conditions in prisons can contribute to outbreaks, since person-to-person spread of … [Read more...]
Why Are There So Many HUS Complications in the E. coli O157:H7 Romaine Outbreak? An Attorney Answers
The hospitalization rate and hemolytic uremic syndrome case count in the deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce has been very high. Typically, in an E. coli outbreak, about 30% of patients are hospitalized, and about 5 to 10% develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). But in this outbreak, the hospitalization rate is almost 50%, and 13% of those patients have developed HUS. Why is the hospitalization rate and the HUS rate so high in this particular outbreak? Typically, the group most susceptible to developing HUS is children under the age of 5. The patient age range in this outbreak is from 1 to 88. There could be quite a few children sick, which may explain the high HUS rate. Another explanation for the high HUS rate and the high hospitalization … [Read more...]
Multistate Salmonella Braenderup Outbreak Linked to Rose Acre Farms Shell Eggs Grows to 35 Sick; Lawsuits May Be Filed
The multistate Salmonella Braenderup outbreak linked to recalled Rose Acre Farms shell eggs has now sickened 35 people in nine states. Eleven people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The case count by state is: Colorado (1), Florida (2), New Jersey (1), New York (8), North Carolina (5), Pennsylvania (6), South Carolina (3), Virginia (8), and West Virginia (1). Eleven people have been hospitalized, which at 39% is a high percentage for a Salmonella outbreak. The patient age range is from 1 to 90 years. Illness started on dates ranging from November 16, 2017 to April 14, 2018. Eighty-eight percent of 25 people sickened in this Salmonella Braenderup outbreak who were interviewed said they ate shell eggs before they got sick. Sixty-four percent said they ate … [Read more...]
FDA Says Romaine From Yuma Not Being Distributed; Lawyer Says E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak May Continue
The FDA released a statement on May 9, 2018, saying that the Arizona Leafy GreenS marketing Agreement administered by the Arizona Department of Agriculture has confirmed that romaine lettuce is no longer being produced and distributed from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. This is the area that produced the lettuce linked to a multistate E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that has sickened 149 people in 29 states. Seventeen of those patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can destroy the kidneys. But the lettuce has a 21-day shelf life. That means it could still be available in restaurants and supermarkets, and consumers could still have it in their homes. The government can not be certain that romaine lettuce from that region is no longer in the supply … [Read more...]
Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania, and Idaho Hardest Hit by E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to Chopped Romaine Lettuce; Some May Sue
The E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce is the largest of its kind since 2006. As of May 8, 2018, 149 people living in 29 states are sick. Sixty-four people have been hospitalized, and seventeen have developed HUS. One person, who lived in California, has died. The states that are hardest hit are Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania, and Idaho. Most patients ate chopped romaine lettuce before their illnesses began. In Minnesota, 10 people are sick. California has the largest number of case patients, with 30 ill. In Pennsylvania, 20 people are sick. And in Idaho, there are 11 people with this infection. Public health officials have still not figured out exactly which farm or farms the lettuce came from. One, Harrison Farms in Yuma, Arizona, grew some of … [Read more...]
Romaine Lettuce E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Grows to 149 Sick; Lawsuits Filed
The E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce has grown again. Now 149 people are sick in 29 states. Of the 129 of those 149 who have been interviewed, 64, or 50%, have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Seventeen people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a type of kidney failure that is a complication of this type of infection. One death was reported in California. Lawsuits have been filed in this outbreak. Since the last update on May 2, 2018, 28 more ill persons have been added to the outbreak total. Four more states have been added too: Minnesota, Florida, North Dakota, and Texas. The case count by state is: Alaska (8), Arizona (8), California (30), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Idaho (11), Illinois (2), … [Read more...]
Ten People Sickened in Minnesota E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to Romaine Lettuce: Lawsuits Possible
Ten people are sick in a Minnesota E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce, according to a press release issued by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Those patients are not counted in the 121 case count total sickened nationwide in the update that the CDC issued last week. Three of the patients have been hospitalized in this Minnesota E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak; two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. The cases are from both the metro area and greater Minnesota counties. Ninety percent of the patients are female. Fred Pritzker, a noted food safety attorney with officers in Minneapolis said, "This case count puts Minnesota in the group of states most affected by this serious outbreak. Everyone should be aware of … [Read more...]
