Just a few months after a different romaine lettuce ban, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention warned against any consumption of romaine lettuce, according to The Washington Post. The warning tells consumers to avoid all romaine lettuce and get rid of any that is already in their fridge because of an E. coli contamination. The vague warning against romaine indicates that the CDC is unaware of the source of contamination.
CNN reported 32 cases of romaine lettuce-based illnesses in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. In Canada, another 13 people have come down with the same strain of E. coli, which may be linked to the romaine lettuce contamination.
CDC warns against eating romaine lettuce after E. coli outbreak.
More than a dozen people have been hospitalized, including one person who developed kidney failure, the agency says: https://t.co/VcD9BhfUWj pic.twitter.com/qgUFbYVqT4
— ABC News (@ABC) November 21, 2018
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also investigating the contamination. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said that while it is frustrating that the FDA has been unable to pinpoint the specific source of the contamination, “we have confidence that it’s tied to romaine lettuce.” According to CNN, the FDA warns against all types and brands of romaine lettuce as cases of E. coli linked to this outbreak can be traced back to October.
The last romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak lasted from March until June, but the contamination could be traced back to Yuma, Arizona mostly likely in connection with contaminated canal water used by multiple farms. The Washington Post reported that that outbreak left 5 people dead and over 200 people affected.