Jaquith Strawberry Farm Strawberries Implicated in E coli Outbreak in Oregon
Our attorneys are investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Northwest Oregon associated with eating fresh strawberries from Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg, Oregon. According to the Oregon Department of Public Health, at least 10 people were sickened last month, including one person who died.
Attorney Fred Pritzker recently won over a million dollars for a family whose loved one died in Oregon. "The victims of this outbreak and the family of the person who died deserve compensation," said Pritzker. "Sellers of contaminated products need to be held accountable, even if wild animals were the source of the contamination."
Ten people have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections caused by a single strain. These individuals include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak. Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection, There were 12 females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.
Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. In response to this outbreak, Jaquith has recalled its products.
None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:
- Berries other than strawberries;
- Strawberries sold since Aug. 1;
- Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County;
- Strawberries sold in supermarkets;
- Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.
When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask a slate of questions of those who have been sickened, family members and health care providers. The questions are to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.
“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said.“The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmers’ markets supplied by this one farm last month.”
While investigating the farm, William Keene, senior epidemiologist with Oregon Public Health, saw dear roaming through the strawberry field. Keene is having deer feces tested for E. coli to determine if deer are the source of the E. coli contamination, Keene told the Oregonian.
