May 3, 2018 - Health

E. coli outbreak kills one as CDC warns against eating romaine

Data: Centers for Disease Control; Chart: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
Data: Centers for Disease Control; Chart: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

Quick update: One person from California has died from the virulent E. coli outbreak, which has now spread to 25 states. It's infected 121 people with 52 needing hospitalization, and 14 of whom now have kidney failure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

Searching for the source: The Food and Drug Administration identified Harrison Farms of Yuma, Ariz., as the source of the whole-head romaine lettuce that sickened several Alaskans but has not yet determined where in the supply chain the contamination occurred. FDA says it's continuing to investigate since "most of the illnesses ... are not linked to romaine lettuce from this farm, and are associated with chopped romaine lettuce."

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