Seattle Injury Blog
At Bernard Law Group we take your health very seriously. That’s why we have decided to share important information concerning potentially contaminated food items that may put Washingtonians as well as residents of 12 other states in grave danger.
According to Consumer Reports, an E. coli outbreak has impacted at least 13 states in the United States and Canada. One person in each country has died as a result while 58 people so far were infected. The strain associated with this outbreak, E. coli O157: H7, has been traced back to romaine lettuce in Canada where health officials have been alerting consumers to stop eating lettuce since December 14. But here in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are still investigating.
The federal agencies refuse to alert consumers whether they should refrain from eating lettuce in order to avoid being contaminated but in Canada, individuals are well aware that the consumption of lettuce, which is often eaten raw, may lead to serious and even deadly health conditions.
To the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, and children, exposure to E. coli can be deadly. If you live in Washington, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Vermont, Consumer Reports is urging you to stop eating lettuce at home or while eating out until more information regarding this outbreak, which we must remind you has already claimed victims, is available.
Consumer Reports’ Jean Halloran, the Director of Food Policy Initiatives within the consumer watchdog organization, has said that the FDA should follow into Canadian authorities’ footsteps and start alerting consumers about the risks associated with lettuce so that other deaths are prevented.
If you want to learn more about this potentially devastating outbreak, follow this link.
Follow Consumer Reports’ recommendations and stay on top of the news to learn more about other potentially serious food-related risks.