Four more people dead from E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce

Four more people have died from eating romaine lettuce tainted with E. coli, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday.

That brings the total death count from the recent E. coli outbreak to five.

In the past two weeks, an additional 25 people have also become ill from eating contaminated lettuce, the CDC announced. In total, 197 people across 35 states have become sick since March 13.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is investigating the outbreak with the CDC, has said it believes it can be traced to romaine lettuce sourced from the Yuma growing region in Arizona. 

However, the lettuce from that region is past its shelf life and is likely no longer being sold in stores or served in restaurants, the FDA said.

“Any contaminated product from the Yuma growing region has already worked its way through the food supply and is no longer available for consumption,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. 

“So any immediate risk is gone. However, the FDA is committed to investigating the source of the outbreak and working with industry to help prevent similar events in the future,” he said.

Sickness can begin three to four days after swallowing E. coli, with symptoms of diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. 

While most people recover within a week, some illnesses can last longer and be more severe, the CDC cautioned. 

The CDC also noted that some people who became sick had not eaten romaine lettuce, but had close contact with someone else who got sick from eating it. 

Of those who became ill, about half had be hospitalized, with 26 developing a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, the CDC said.

The recent E. coli outbreak is the most severe to hit the U.S. since 2006, when three people died in an outbreak linked to uncooked spinach.