ONTARIO & QUEBEC — Health officials in Canada and the U.S. are warning consumers to stop eating romaine lettuce due to a new E. coli outbreak.
The Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify the source of the outbreak, which has sickened 32 people in 11 U.S. states and 18 people in Ontario and Quebec.
“These recent illnesses indicate that contaminated romaine lettuce may still be on the market, including in restaurants, grocery stores and any establishments that serve food,” says a Government of Canada release. “At this time, the investigation evidence in Ontario and Quebec suggests that there is a risk of E.coli infections associated with eating romaine lettuce.”
The strain identified is different than the one linked to romaine lettuce earlier this year, but appears similar to last year’s outbreak linked to the leafy green. The contaminated lettuce is likely still on the market, according to health officials.
To learn more about the outbreak and what to do in cases of contamination, click here.