On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, NACCHO participated in a 50-state conference call held by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 likely linked to romaine lettuce.
For the most up-to-date information on this outbreak, visit https://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm626330.htm.
The Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided updates on the total number of illnesses and hospitalizations. As of the day of the call, 88% of people interviewed said they ate romaine lettuce at home or restaurants a week before illness started.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave updates on traceback investigations. Preliminary traceback found that ill people were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested from California. Harvest areas outside of the northern and central coast California regions are not connected to the outbreak. Romaine entering the market now will be labeled with harvest location and date or a notice that it was grown hydroponically. Romaine from outside of the identified region does not have to be avoided and is not part of the outbreak. Hydroponically grown lettuce is also not part of outbreak.