Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Grows by 47 Cases: CDC
The CDC confirmed 47 new cases in the ongoing outbreak of E. coli linked to lettuce served at Wendy’s restaurants. The agency released the update on August 25, 2022. The additional cases bring the total number of confirmed outbreak cases to 84. The illnesses confirmed to date started on dates ranging from July 26, 2022 through August 9, 2022.
The 84 cases originated in four states: Michigan (53 cases), Ohio (23), Indiana (6), and Pennsylvania (2). These numbers represent an increase of 38 cases in Michigan, four cases in Ohio, and five cases in Indiana, and one case in Pennsylvania. Sick individuals range from 5 to 94 years old, with a median age of 24. Of the 73 cases with detailed information available, 38 required hospitalization. In addition, officials confirm eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, in Michigan.
The CDC states that “many sick people reported eating burgers and sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants before getting sick.” As a result, Wendy’s reacted by taking the “precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants” in the region of the outbreak.
The updated numbers more accurately reflect those released by Michigan public health officials. However, some disparity exists in the Ohio numbers. A single Ohio county – specifically, Wood County – confirmed 22 cases of the outbreak strain of E. coli. If the CDC count of 23 cases is accurate, then only one confirmed case exists in the remaining 87 counties. A significant increase in the Ohio case count in subsequent CDC updates, therefore, would not be surprising.
About E. coli Infection
Symptoms of E. coli infection vary from person to person. Generally, symptoms include diarrhea (sometimes bloody), acute stomach cramping, and vomiting. Additionally, some infected individuals develop a fever (generally under 101 degrees Fahrenheit).
While symptoms generally begin three to four days after consuming contaminated food or water, some people fall ill as soon as one day or as late as 10 days after exposure. Symptoms generally resolve within five to seven days of onset.