A multistate outbreak of E. coli associated with romaine lettuces in sandwiches at Wendy’s restaurants has grown to 84 cases, with 38 people hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
On its website, the CDC said that while a specific food had not yet been confirmed as the source of the outbreak, people who became sick reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The CDC said it is not advising that people avoid eating at Wendy’s or stop eating romaine lettuce, CNN reported.
A multi-state E. coli outbreak associated with romaine lettuce in sandwiches from Wendy's has grown, with dozens more infections reported in the past week, according to federal health officials. https://t.co/VoPDt4CuCU
— ABC News (@ABC) August 27, 2022
Wendy’s has removed the lettuce used in the sandwiches from restaurants in those regions and is fully cooperating with the investigation, the CDC said.
The cases include 53 who live in Michigan, 23 from Ohio, two from Pennsylvania and six from Indiana, CBS News reported.
No deaths have been reported, the CDC said.
According to the CDC, eight people hospitalized in Michigan have a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, ABC News reported.
In a statement on its website on Aug. 19, Wendy’s confirmed that it was “fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in certain midwestern states.”
“The lettuce that we use in our salads is different, and is not affected by this action. As a company, we are committed to upholding our high standards of food safety and quality,” the statement read.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps and vomiting, according to the CDC. It takes about three to four days to start feeling the symptoms and people usually recover in about five to seven days with no treatment.
Persons experiencing fever higher than 102 degrees, dehydration or vomiting should call their doctor. Individuals with symptoms of an E. coli infection should report the illness to local or state health departments.
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