51 E. coli O103 Victims: E. coli Officially Over Says CDC
The Multi-State E. coli O103 Outbreak linked to Clover Sprouts is officially over as of April 22, 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the final CDC report on the outbreak, CDC detailed that a total of 51 victims were identified in 10 states, 3 of which required hospitalization. On March 16, 2020, Chicago Indoor Garden issued a recall of all their products containing red clover sprouts after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested samples of its products that tested positive for E. coli O103.
The FDA’s traceback investigation discovered that clover sprouts served at multiple Jimmy Johns locations were linked to the outbreak: The FDA interviewed those affected by the outbreak and discovered that many of the reported cases admitted to eating clover sprouts served at different Jimmy John locations. Jimmy John officially announced on February 24, 2020, that they would no longer be serving clover sprouts in their restaurants (at least for now). This is not the first time Jimmy Johns has been linked to an outbreak, in late February 2020, the sandwich franchise received a Warning Letter from the FDA due to their involvement in five previous outbreaks. In the Warning Letter, the FDA stated that the five outbreaks had been linked to adulterated produce used by Jimmy John on multiple occasions.
In the final report of the multi-state E.coli O103 outbreak, the FDA stated that through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of the bacteria found in the Chicago Indoor Garden’s sprouts it was shown that it matched the strain of the current E. coli outbreak. In the investigation, it was discovered that the strain also matched the same strain as the one of the E. coli outbreak which took place in Iowa from November to December 2019. The outbreak of E. coli from 2019 was discussed in the Warning Letter sent to Jimmy John’s Franchise, LLC.
The CDC has stated that all recalled Chicago Indoor Garden products have gone past the “Best by” date but have advised consumers who may have ingested any of the recalled products to stay vigilant for symptoms of E. coli. Symptoms of E. coli may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever. According to Ron Simon, a National E. coli lawyer, symptoms of E. coli can at times develop into a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Those affected by the outbreak should contact a food poisoning attorney for legal help and representation.
For more information on the E. coli O103 Outbreak, to speak to an E. coli Lawyer, or inquire about an E. coli Lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.
https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2020/o103h2-02-20/index.html
https://www.barfblog.com/2020/04/jimmy-johns-the-e-coli-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/
