E-Coli illnesses related to tainted romaine lettuce increases to 52

The e-coli outbreak caused by a tainted romaine lettuce crop is now seeing 52 people sickened following a recent update from the CDC this week.

That is an increase of 9 people who have fallen ill compared to another update issued in late November.

Since that update, 3 states have also been added to the list of those impacted. 15 are now reporting illnesses with Florida, Louisiana and Pennsylvania being added.

Investigators say the romaine lettuce that was packaged with the bacteria was likely packaged on the Central Coast although exactly where remains a mystery.

The outbreak is hitting some states harder than others, too.

California and New Jersey have seen the most sickened, with at least 11 reported ill.

New Hampshire jumped in this new update from two in late November to six as of this week.

Health officials in Canada are also investigators in Canada are also investigating 27 similar cases.

There are now calls for better monitoring of lettuce and other crops using new, specific package labeling procedures.

In all, 52 people have fallen ill over this strand of e-coli although no deaths have been reported.

The CDC says two people have reported suffering a type of kidney failure as a result of contracting the virus.

Of the 52 who are ill, 19 have been hospitalized.