CDC reports 67 cases of E. coli linked to Salinas romaine lettuce

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there have been 67 reported cases of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce grown in or around Salinas. that is 27 more cases since the last update on Friday.

Those cases have been reported in 19 states and have resulted in 39 hospitalizations. Six people have developed a type of kidney failure, but nobody has died.

The CDC said romaine lettuce grown in the area should not be eaten or sold, and that includes all use-by dates and brands. It also includes all types of romaine, such as whole heads, hearts of romaine and pre-cut lettuce.

If you have any romaine lettuce or foods containing romaine, the CDC suggests looking for a label showing where it was grown. If it says it was grown in Salinas, the CDC says to throw it away. It should also be thrown away if the region where it was grown is not on the label. The CDC also recommends washing and sanitizing drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine was stored.

If you have symptoms of E. coli, you are asked to contact your healthcare provider, write down what you ate the week before you got sick, report it to the local health department, answer questions from public health investigators and wash your hands thoroughly.