At least 10 people hospitalized with E. coli; Wendy’s pulls lettuce from some restaurants
Friday, the CDC announced that Wendy’s is withdrawing romaine lettuce used in burgers and sandwiches from some of its locations in response to an E. coli outbreak that has sent at least 10 people to the hospital and sickened scores more.
Even while the outbreak has not been officially connected to the lettuce, several of the 37 people infected with E. coli reported eating it at Wendy’s outlets in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania prior to becoming ill, according to the CDC. The decision to recall the lettuce was described as a “precautionary measure.”
According to the CDC, fifteen of the ill individuals are from Michigan, nineteen are from Ohio, two are from Pennsylvania, and one is from Indiana. 22 of the 26 individuals interviewed reported eating at Wendy’s in the week before to becoming ill.
“Romaine lettuce served on burgers and sandwiches at Wendy’s was one of the most common ingredients eaten among the menu items, but investigators continue to analyze data at the ingredient level to determine if there are any other possible foods that could be the source of the outbreak,” the CDC said.
Wendy’s confirmed in a statement to CBS News that it is “completely cooperating” with the inquiry and is “remov[ing] sandwich lettuce from restaurants in that region as a precaution.”
“As a company, we are committed to upholding our high standards of food safety and quality,” the chain added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted that it is still safe to dine at Wendy’s and consume other romaine lettuce, adding that there is “no indication” that lettuce supplied elsewhere poses a risk. It also advised people to be on the watch for E. coli symptoms, which can include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and dehydration indications.
According to the CDC, while the majority of persons infected with E. coli recover within a week, some develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a kind of kidney failure that requires hospitalization. Three of the ten hospitalized patients have HUS. No fatalities have been reported.
