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CDC: 1 Person In California Dead From Romaine Lettuce Linked To E. Coli Outbreak

ATLANTA (CBS13) - One person from California has died from the E. Coli Outbreak linked to romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, Arizona region.

The CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, posted an update on its website Wednesday morning. The latest national statistics show 23 more people have gotten sick and 3 more states have reported illness: Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Utah.

IN BRIEF:

  • 1 person dead in Calif. linked to the outbreak
  • 121 illnesses reported
  • 25 states involved
  • 52 people hospitalized
  • The lettuce was grown in the Yuma, Arizona region

The California Department of Public Health confirms someone in California has died, but would not disclose the location. The Sacramento County Department of Health reports the person is not a resident of Sacramento County.

The CDPH released this statement Wednesday afternoon: "The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) can confirm there are 24 reported cases of E.coli related illness in California linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, region, including the death of a California resident. Due to patient privacy laws, we cannot provide further details."

In 25 states affected by the outbreak, 121 people have now become sick since it began on March 22. Of those 121, 52 people have been hospitalized and 14 have developed kidney failure.

The current report only includes illnesses reported prior to April 21. Illnesses occurring in the past two to three weeks may not be included because of the time between when a person becomes ill with E. Coli and when the illness is reported to the CDC.

Consumers are advised to not eat or buy romaine lettuce unless they can confirm it wasn't grown in the Yuma, Arizona region. Product labels often don't identify growing regions. If you have romaine lettuce in your refrigerator you're advised to throw it away. The E. Coli issue involves whole heads and hearts of romaine, chopped romaine, baby romaine, organic romaine, and salads and salad mixes containing romaine.

Restaurants and retailers are being told to not serve or sell romaine lettuce coming from the Yuma, Arizona region. Restaurants and retailers are told to ask their suppliers about the source of the lettuce.

The 25 states involved in the outbreak are: Alaska (8), Arizona (8), California (24), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Georgia (4), Idaho (11), Illinois (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), Montana (8), New Jersey (7), New York (2), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (20), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (6), Wisconsin (1).

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