According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the E. coli outbreak may be linked to romaine lettuce used in certain locations of the Wendy’s fast food chain.
In a post on its website, the agency said it had not identified a specific food as the cause of the outbreak, but “many” sick people were eating lettuce at Wendy’s stores in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. reported eating a sandwich on
The CDC is investigating the outbreak after about 30 people contracted the bacteria as of Thursday, with nine sick and hospitalized and no deaths.
Wendy’s is taking precautions to remove romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in the area, according to the CDC. Restaurants use a different kind of romaine lettuce in their salads.
Investigators are investigating whether lettuce caused the outbreak and whether it was sold or provided by other businesses.
Wendy’s said in a statement to The Hill that it is fully cooperating with the CDC.
“As a company, Wendy’s is committed to maintaining high standards of food safety and quality.
Symptoms of E. coli infection include fever up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, diarrhea that does not improve for at least 3 days, vomiting that does not hold water, and signs of dehydration. The CDC says people with severe symptoms should contact their health care provider immediately.
An Ohio woman who said she began experiencing symptoms of an E. coli infection earlier this month filed a series of five lawsuits against Wendy’s on Friday involving product liability and negligence.
The woman ate a hamburger at Wendy’s on August 1 and began to develop symptoms three days later, according to the complaint. According to the lawsuit, she was examined at the hospital and on August 7 she was found to be E. coli positive.
She was hospitalized for a week and is still recovering.
The lawsuit alleges that Wendy’s was responsible for manufacturing the “defective” food she consumed and eliminating the risk that the food was contaminated with E. coli or other pathogens.
— 21:28 update
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