*UPDATE* December 24th
The Public Health Agency of Canada announced they consider this outbreak to be over for Canada, so they are no longer advising consumers to avoid romaine lettuce and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce. This announcement came after no new illnesses have been reported since mid-November. The final count was of 29 confirmed cases of E. coli illness in four provinces where 10 people were hospitalized and no deaths were reported.
December 14th
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that seven ill people were added to this outbreak, and the total count now rises up to 59 people confirmed ill in 15 states. 23 people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.
As of Canada, one new case was confirmed and added to this outbreak making it a total of 28 people reported sick in three provinces. 10 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The FDA identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in sediment collected within an agricultural water reservoir on Adam Bros. Farming, Inc. farm in Santa Barbara County, which was identified in a traceback. The FDA will send investigators back to this farm for further sampling.
December 6th
According to the latest update on the ongoing investigation, nine people were added to this outbreak, so now there are 52 people sick with this E. Coli strain on 15 states (Lousiana, Florida, and Pennsylvania were added). 19 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
As of Canada, 5 new cases were confirmed and added to this outbreak making it a total of 27 people reported sick in three provinces. Nine people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
November 29th
The Public Health Agency from Canada added two persons sick from British Columbia to the ongoing E. Coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce. There are now 24 people reported sick in Canada. There are no new updates regarding this outbreak in the US.
November 26th
According to the latest update on the ongoing investigation, CDC has narrowed the warning to consumers to Romaine lettuce harvested from the Central Coastal growing regions of northern and central California. Also, 11 people were added to this outbreak, so now there are 43 people sick with this E. Coli strain on 12 states.
As of Canada, 4 new cases were confirmed and added to this outbreak making it a total of 22 people reported sick in three provinces (New Brunswick was recently added).
November 20th
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada are investigating an outbreak of Escherichia Coli linked to romaine lettuce. As of Nov 20th, there are 32 people confirmed sick, 13 of which have been hospitalized, from 11 states across the US; and 18 people sick on 2 provinces of Canada where 6 individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
CDC advises not to consume romaine lettuce from the Central Coastal growing regions of northern and central California. If you do not know where the romaine is from, do not eat it. FDA includes the following counties in that region:
- Monterey
- San Benito
- Santa Barbara
Public Health Agency of Canada continues to advise to avoid eating romaine lettuce unless consumers can identify that the romaine lettuce did not come from the affected growing region in California. For more information on this outbreak, you can check the CDC or the Public Health Agency of Canada website.
