n E. coli outbreak that could be linked to fast-food chain Wendy’s has spread to the states of Latest York and Kentucky, after reports of illnesses in Midwest states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that 97 people have turn out to be sick, 43 have been hospitalized and 10 have developed a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, attributable to the outbreak.
Eighty-one percent of the individuals who said they were sick had said they ate at Wendy’s. Many reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce.
The primary illness was reported in late July.
“A selected food has not yet been confirmed because the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania before getting sick,” the CDC said.
The CDC confirmed that “there is no such thing as a evidence to point that romaine lettuce sold in grocery stores, served in other restaurants, or in people’s homes is linked to this outbreak.”
The CDC just isn’t advising people to avoid Wendy’s.
“While the CDC has not yet confirmed a selected food because the source of that outbreak, we now have taken the precaution of removing the sandwich lettuce at some restaurants,” Wendy’s said Sunday in updated statement from Aug. 19. “The lettuce that we use in our salads is different, and just isn’t affected by this motion.”
Symptoms of E. coli include diarrhea, high fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, vomiting, dehydration, and feeling dizzy.