Governor
Andrew Cuomo today cautioned New Yorkers to follow the food safety
alert
from the Centers for Disease Control to not eat any romaine lettuce
due to an E.
coli
outbreak across the country. The CDC is advising consumers
who have any type of romaine lettuce in their home to not eat it and
throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten
sick. The
CDC is also urging retailers and restaurants not to serve or sell any
romaine lettuce until further notice.
"As
we prepare to gather with family and friends for the Thanksgiving
holiday, I urge all New Yorkers to follow the CDC's guidelines and
refrain from eating or serving romaine lettuce until it is safe to do
so," Governor Cuomo said. "As always, New Yorkers should be
aware of current product recalls and food safety recommendations to
ensure a happy and healthy holiday for all."
Thirty-two
cases of people
infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E.
coli have
been reported in 11 states, including two
in New York State. The illnesses
started on dates ranging from October 8, 2018 to October 31, 2018.
Thirteen people have been hospitalized,
including one person who developed a type of kidney failure. No
deaths have been reported.
In
addition, at least 18 people in Ontario and Quebec, Canada have been
infected with E. coli. The current outbreak is not
related to the Spring 2018 multistate outbreak of E. coli
infections linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona region.
If you have symptoms of an E. coli infection, talk to your
healthcare provider.
New
York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "As we
work with our state and federal partners to determine the cause of
this outbreak and what can be done to reduce contamination and
protect public health, we urge New Yorkers to stay away from romaine
lettuce while this investigation continues. The best way to protect
yourself and your loved ones from getting sick is to not eat or
purchase any type of romaine lettuce at this time."
NYS
Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball
said, "To protect consumers from this foodborne outbreak, we are
urging New York families, retailers, grocers and restaurants to
adhere to the warning and pull any romaine lettuce from their shelves
and menus. Working with our partners, we will follow this
investigation closely and keep consumers informed."
E.
coli are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans
and animals. Although most strains of this bacteria are harmless,
several are known to produce toxins that can lead to illness and
cause diarrhea or vomiting. The type of E. coli bacteria that
most commonly produces toxins causing illness is Shiga-toxin
producing E. coli (STEC). One of the most common E. coli
strains, called E. coli O157:H7, is a STEC that can cause
severe diarrhea. People become infected by eating food or drinking
water contaminated with the bacteria.
For
more information about E. coli, visit the following:
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/e_coli/index
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/e_coli/o157.htm.
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/e_coli/index
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/e_coli/o157.htm.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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