CDC Is Investigating An E. Coli Outbreak
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently investigating an outbreak of E. coli that is currently affecting sevent states across the country.
According to Time, the CDC, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, are working with multiple states to figure out the cause of an E. coli outbreak that has affected 17 people over seven states.
The states that reported cases of infection are New Jersey, Idaho, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, and Washington. Currently, New Jersey is the state with the most reported outbreaks, six cases of E. coli-related illness affecting residents.
While no deaths have been reported so far, six people have been sent to the hospital including one person with kidney failure. According to the CDC, the illnesses started surfacing between March 22 and March 31. Those infected are between the ages of 12 and 84.
The CDC still has yet to figure out what the cause of the outbreak is and is not yet recommending people avoid certain foods or restaurants. They're also not recommending food suppliers or servers avoid certain types of food just yet.
This is the first E. coli outbreak of 2018. According to the CDC, there were 2 reported outbreaks of E. coli in 2017 linked to leafy greens and SoyNut Butter.
Symptoms of E. coli infections include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, and vomiting which can go away within a week. More severe cases can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. Hemolytic uremic syndrome symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination.
E. coli contamination can be avoided by washing your hands and washing fruits and vegetables before consumption. Raw milk and raw or undercooked meat can also cause E. coli related illnesses.
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