The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that nearly 30 people in Michigan and Ohio have been infected by an outbreak of E. coli.
The CDC has yet to identify the source of the outbreak, and the agency believes the number of people who have been sickened by it "is likely higher than the number reported."
Of the 29 people who have been infected by the bacteria, nine have been hospitalized and none have died.
"Michigan and Ohio have both reported large increases in the number of coli infections in their states. Public health officials are working to determine how many of these infections are linked to the outbreak," the agency wrote in a news release on Wednesday.
The agency added that its investigators are using a national bacteria database to "identify and confirm illnesses that are part of this outbreak" and interviewing those infected about the foods they ate before they fell ill.
The CDC noted that symptoms of E. coli include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and occasionally a fever.
"Most people get better within 5 to 7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening," the CDC wrote.
Newsweek has reached out to the CDC's press office for comments and additional updates.
Most strains of E.coli bacteria are harmless, but there are some toxic strains, such as STEC O103 and O157:H7.
In April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that 120,000 pounds of ground beef had been recalled over concerns about the spread of E.coli.
In January, the USDA recalled 28,000 pounds of ground beef after meat sold by Kroger's and other groceries stores tested positive for the bacteria. The contaminated meat was sent to retailers in seven states: Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
In July, another 300,000 pounds of ground beef was recalled by Greater Omaha Packing, a beef supplier, after the USDA said it may have been contaminated.
In June, an international team of researchers discovered the oldest known sample of E. coli from a 16th century Italian mummy.
In a statement at the time, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, stated that the researchers "identified and reconstructed the first ancient genome of E. coli, using fragments extracted from the gallstone of a 16th-century mummy."
It noted that the bacteria is "a major public health concern" and that the bacteria can "act as an opportunistic pathogen infecting its host during periods of stress, underlying disease or immunodeficiency."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Xander Landen is a Newsweek weekend reporter. His focus is often U.S. politics, but he frequently covers other issues including ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
