September 20 CDC Update on Spinach-E. coli Outbreak
The following is the most recent CDC update on the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to fresh spinach:
As of 1 PM (ET) September 20, 2006, Wednesday, 146 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 23 states.Among the ill persons, 76 (52%) were hospitalized, 23 (16%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. One hundred three (71%) were female and 8 (5%) were children under 5 years old. Among ill persons who provided the date when their illnesses began, 93% became ill between August 19 and September 5. The case with the earliest illness onset known to be associated with consumption of fresh spinach began having symptoms on August 19.
The states that have reported cases are Arizona (4 cases), California (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (7), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (7), New Mexico (5), Nevada (1), New York (9), Ohio (15), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (7), Utah (16), Virginia (1), Washington (2), Wisconsin (40), and Wyoming (1).