Food Safety News reports that an E. coli O157 outbreak in Michigan has been genetically matched to one in Ohio, where local, state and federal health officials are currently investigating at least four similar cases.
The case count in Ohio includes three in Lucas County and one in Portage County and involve adults ranging in age from 19 to 42 years.
The five Michigan cases of E. coli infection include adults aged 20 to 41 from the following five counties: Oakland, Washtenaw, Ken, Livingston and Ottawa. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, three of the five people sickened were hospitalized. According to the Record-Eagle,a Grand Traverse region resident likely is the sixth Michigander diagnosed with E. coli poisoning in recent weeks. The woman lives in an area covered by the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. She recently traveled to Grand Rapids where she ate ground beef.
Those sickened in Michigan indicated to health officials that they had consumed undercooked hamburger prior to developing symptoms. Michigan health officials have reportedly been trying to track down the source of the meat.