Romaine lettuce e. coli outbreak illnesses reach 172 in 32 states – Romaine Lettuce E. coli Lawyer
Iowa, Nebraska, and Oregon have been added to the growing list of states impacted by the romaine lettuce e. coli outbreak. Even though the lettuce is no longer being harvested or distributed, illnesses continue to be reported due to the time lag between a person becoming ill, seeking medical assistance, and the illness being reported by the medical professional to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reporting that there are now 172 cases of illness reported in 32 states: 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), Washington (7), and Wisconsin (3).
In reality, the number of illnesses related to the e. coli contamination of romaine lettuce is probably much higher than reported. Because symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, nausea, and stomach cramping are so common, many individuals don’t realize they’re infected with E. coli and opt not to seek medical care. Sometimes, failure to obtain proper medical attention can result in life-threatening complications. Each year, approximately five to ten percent of people diagnosed with an E. coli infection experience hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a deadly complication.
The romaine lettuce harvest and distribution season has ended, as of April 16, 2018. Since the shelf life of the lettuce is 21 days, it is unlikely that any additional romaine lettuce contaminated with e. coli is still available in stores or restaurants.
If you have become ill as a result of eating romaine lettuce contaminated with e. coli, please contact the food poisoning lawyers at 1-888-335-4901 to discuss your legal options.
