The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded a recently-issued recall on romaine lettuce due to E. Coli contamination.
The initial warning was limited to chopped romaine; it has since been expanded to include all forms of romaine lettuce, including “whole heads and hearts of romaine, chopped romaine, and salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce,” according to the CDC website.
The outbreak has been traced back to the Yuma, Arizona region. The CDC has advised consumers to avoid romaine lettuce altogether unless they are able to confirm that it was grown elsewhere.
According to the CDC website, the growing source of products are not identified on product labels. The agency recommends that if consumers cannot identify the source or type of any store-bought lettuce, it should be thrown away.
Likewise, restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell romaine lettuce to customers. If customers are served lettuce but are unable to identify it as romaine, it should be thrown out and not eaten.
If romaine lettuce has been present in consumers’ refrigerator shelves, they should follow the CDC’s five steps to sanitize their fridge.
The latest data from the CDC shows that a total of 53 people have been affected by E. Coli in romaine lettuce across the United States.
Signs and symptoms of the E. Coli bacteria include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, vomiting. It is possible for people who come into contact with the germ to contract a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), according to the CDC.
The development of HUS is associated with tiredness, decreased frequency of urination, and loss of pinkness in the cheeks and lower eyelids. HUS can cause one’s kidneys to stop as well as other health problems. Anyone suffering from it should be hospitalized, the CDC reports.
The CDC advises individuals with symptoms of E. Coli infection to speak with their healthcare provider, make a list of the foods they consumed during the week before getting sick, report their illness to the health department, and answer health investigators’ questions.
Consumers may also take multiple preventative measures against E. Coli. They include thoroughly washing hands, cooking meats before serving, and properly washing all foods. A full list of recommendations and other information on E. Coli and the recent recall are available on the CDC’s website.
