It is likely that these numbers will be old in the next few minutes.

A total of 102 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 23 states. Two illnesses are reported in Canada. A total of 58 hospitalizations have been reported. Ten people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence collected to date indicate that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California, growing region may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and is making people sick. Missa Bay, LLC Recalls Salad Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination, Consumers advised not to eat Ready Pac Bistro® Bowl Chicken Caesar Salad, lot #255406963, “Best By” date Oct. 31, 2019 Do not eat or sell Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits with this identifying information: UPC 0 71279 30906 4, beginning with lot code Z, and a best-before date up to and including 07DEC19.

Eight people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from three states.  Minnesota reports that there are nine in total. Three people have been hospitalized.  One person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. Information collected to date indicates that Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp chopped salad kits are a likely source of this outbreak.  Also, As of December 11, 2019, there are 24 cases of E. coli O157 illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: Ontario (11), Quebec (3), New Brunswick (4), Nova Scotia (4), Prince Edward Island (1), and Newfoundland and Labrador (1). Individuals became sick between November 5 and November 23, 2019. Six individuals have been hospitalized, including one person who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure.

Then there is Seattle/King County Public Health investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) potentially associated with four Evergreens restaurants in Seattle. Twelve of Thirteen people who became ill during November 10–15, 2019, ate dishes containing raw vegetables, including leafy greens, from Evergreens restaurants during November 5–11, 2019. The Thirteenth person did not report having eaten at Evergreens, but genetic testing showed they were infected with the same strain of E. coli as three people who did eat at Evergreens and became ill. Genetic testing on isolates from four of the seven people (three who reported eating at Evergreens before they became ill and one who did not report eating at Evergreens) identified the same strain of E. coli, suggesting they have a common source of infection. This strain of E. coli is different from the strain currently causing a national outbreak associated with romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California, which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on November 22, 2019.

2019 – 23 people sickened and 11 hospitalized. The FDA, CDC, along with state and local partners, investigated the illnesses associated with the outbreak. A total of 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 12 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania  and South Carolina. Eleven people were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 12, 2019 to Sept. 8, 2019. No illnesses were reported after CDC began investigating the outbreak on Sept. 17, 2019.

2018 – 218 people sickened, 96 hospitalized, 27 with HUS and 5 deaths. 210 people infected with the outbreak strain were reported from 36 states. 96 people were hospitalized, including 27 people who developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. 5 deaths were reported from Arkansas, California, Minnesota, and New York. In total, there were eight Canadian cases of E. coli O157 that were genetically similar to the U.S. outbreak linked to romaine lettuce coming from the Yuma growing region in the U.S. The eight Canadian illnesses were reported in five provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec. Individuals became sick between March and April 2018. One of the Canadian cases was hospitalized, and no deaths were reported in Canada. Individuals who became ill were between 11 and 76 years of age. The majority of cases (75%) were female.

However, as of last night we learned that these numbers above were in fact higher – 240 case-patients from 37 states (238 of them were infected with STEC O157; 1 was co-infected with STEC O157 and STEC O61, and 2 were infected with only STEC O61). 104 hospitalizations 28 victims with hemolytic uremic syndrome

2018 – 91 people sickened, 35 hospitalized, 4 with HUS. Sixty-two people infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 16 states and the District of Columbia. Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 7, 2018, to December 4, 2018. Twenty-five people were hospitalized, including two people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths were reported. In Canada, there were a total of 29 confirmed cases of E. coli illness investigated in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. The illnesses in British Columbia were related to travel to Quebec, Ontario and the United States. Individuals became sick between mid-October and mid-November 2018. Ten individuals were hospitalized, and two individuals suffered from hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a severe complication that can result from an E. coli infection. No deaths were reported. Individuals who became ill were between 2 and 93 years of age. The majority of cases (52%) were female.

2017 – 76 people sickened, 9 people hospitalized, 2 with HUS and 2 deaths. Twenty-five people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 15 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 5, 2017 to December 12, 2017. Nine people were hospitalized, including two people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. One death was reported from California. In total, there were 42 cases of E. coli O157:H7 illness reported in five eastern provinces: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Individuals became sick in November and early December 2017. Seventeen individuals were hospitalized. One individual died. Individuals who became ill were between the ages of 3 and 85 years of age. The majority of cases (74%) were female.