The nationwide food poisoning outbreak from E. coli-tainted romaine lettuce has spread to 29 states and sickened 149 people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
That is an increase of 28 people and four states — Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota and Texas — since the most recent CDC update May 2. The number of people sickened in this outbreak has climbed steadily since federal authorities began investigating a month ago, making it the worst since the 2006 outbreak of E. coli illness from baby spinach, in which 205 people became ill and five died.
This strain of E. coli produces a toxin that causes vomiting and diarrhea and potentially other severe symptoms, including kidney failure. Information was available on 129 of the people who were sickened. Of those — ranging in age from 1 to 88 — half have been hospitalized. Seventeen have developed severe kidney failure, and one person in California has died. About 65 percent of those sickened are women.
