Yuma E. Coli Outbreak More Virulent Than Most, CDC Says

By Austin Westfall
Published: Friday, April 27, 2018 - 6:30pm
Audio icon Download mp3 (1.14 MB)
Jackie Hai/KJZZ
Romaine lettuce.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing an update on the dangers of the strain of E. coli originating from the Yuma growing region. 

Since Wednesday, 14 more people have been reported ill from the tainted lettuce, bringing the total to 98. The CDC says 10 of those people have developed a type of kidney failure.

About 30 percent of patients are hospitalized in an average E. coli outbreak. The current strain has hospitalized 53 percent.

Lab testing has confirmed that the strain of E. coli causing the outbreak contains a toxin that tends to cause more severe illness.

“So people should still not eat any type of romaine lettuce unless they know for sure it does not come from the Yuma growing region, and restaurants and retailers should not serve any romaine lettuce sourced from the Yuma growing region," said Matthew Wise, deputy branch chief for Outbreak Response at the CDC.

Wise expects more reports of illnesses since there’s a two- to three-week delay between the time a person gets sick and the time they can be confirmed as a part of an outbreak.

Officials say this is the largest such event since the 2006 E. coli outbreak in spinach which made over 200 people sick.