Warning over ‘fast-moving’ E coli outbreak spreading in US

‘The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported,’ CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of a “fast-moving” outbreak of E coli in Michigan and Ohio.

The CDC said on Wednesday that 29 people have become ill and nine of them have been taken to hospital. Fifteen of those infected are in Michigan and 14 are in Ohio, but the public health agency said in its notice on 17 August that “the true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli”.

There have been no deaths so far and no food source has been identified. The Michigan state health department said in a statement that it “received reports of 98 cases of E. coli infection in August, compared to 20 cases reported during the same time period in 2021”.

The agency’s chief medical executive, Dr Natasha Bagdasarian, said that “while reports of E. coli illness typically increase during the warmer summer months, this significant jump in cases is alarming”.

While symptoms can be different for each person, they typically include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.

“Symptoms of E. coli infection usually appear three to four days after the exposure but may appear in as short as one day or as long as 10 days,” the Michigan department of health said. “Symptoms often improve within five to seven days. Some infections are very mild, but others can be severe or even life-threatening.”

The CDC urged Americans to help the agency get to the bottom of the spread.

“If you have symptoms of E. coli, help us solve this outbreak: Write down what you ate in the week before you got sick,” the agency said in its warning, adding that those who become ill should report it to the health authorities.

“Younger children and older adults may be more likely to experience severe illness,” the Michigan agency said.

The CDC said those under the age of five and those over the age of 65, as well as those with impaired immune systems, are most at risk.

The agency urged people to wash their hands, utensils, and surfaces often, rinse fruit and vegetables, keep raw meat away from other food items, use a food thermometer to make sure that meats are cooked well, and keep perishable foods in a fridge.

While most E. coli infections come from food, they can travel from person to person in areas where close contact takes place frequently.

The bacteria can exist in animals’ intestines and while most E. coli aren’t dangerous, some can create toxic elements that can be fatal to humans, who typically attain the bacteria when eating food that has been contaminated.

Every year, around 265,000 people in the US become ill because of toxins carried by E. coli. Around 3,600 of them go to hospital, according to the CDC, and around 30 people die each year.

The last outbreak that garnered attention took place late in 2021, with ten people falling ill in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Ohio. One of them passed away. The outbreak ended in March, according to federal officials. An investigation into the outbreak found that the source was packaged salads with ingredients from California and Arizona, according to The Washington Post.

Previous outbreaks have been sourced to various kinds of foods, including baby spinach, cake mix, and meats, such as ground beef.

At least 210 people in 36 states grew ill in 2018 when an outbreak was sourced to romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona, leading to five fatalities and 96 people being taken to hospital. E. coli was found in water samples from canals around Yuma.

In 2019, 167 people in 27 states became ill because of romaine lettuce in the Salinas Valley in California. As many as 85 people were sent to hospital, The Post reported.