DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce. The lettuce could be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and could make people sick. To date, there have been no confirmed cases reported in Delaware, but DPH urges consumers to take precautions to prevent illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising consumers, food establishments and retailers to not eat, serve or sell any romaine lettuce while the agency investigates the E. coli outbreak linked to romaine. Consumers who have any type of romaine lettuce at home – including whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine or bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine – should not eat it and instead throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick. If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.

Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce.

The CDC, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Government of Canada and multiple states are investigating the outbreak. According to the CDC, no common grower, supplier, distributor or brand has been identified at this time.
• 32 people infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 11 states. According to the CDC, nearby New Jersey has reported three cases and Maryland has reported one case.
• 13 ill people have been hospitalized, including one person who developed kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
• Ill people in this outbreak were infected with E. coli bacteria with the same DNA fingerprint as the E. coli strain isolated from ill people in a 2017 outbreak linked to leafy greens in the United States and to romaine lettuce in Canada. The current outbreak is not related to a recent multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce earlier this year.

People usually get sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli two to eight days (average of three to four days) after swallowing the bacteria. Most people infected with E. coli O157 develop diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within one week. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination. People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately. Medical providers should report suspected cases of E. coli O157:H7 to the DPH Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 302-744-4990 or 24/7 at 888-295-5156.
For more information about this outbreak, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

UPDATE (July 24, 2018):

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Sussex County residents served by the Broadkiln Beach and PrimeHook water companies that the boil water notice issued on Friday, July 20, 2018 has been lifted. Affected consumers can immediately resume consumption and all uses of their tap water without having to boil it first.

Two sets of water samples collected from each water system have tested negative for the presence of Total Coliform and E. coli bacteria.

DPH contacted the operator of the water systems to notify them that the bacteria is no longer present and that the boil water notice has been lifted. Customers should receive a notice directly from their respective water companies alerting them that boiling their drinking water is no longer necessary before use.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:
DOVER — The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) has advised the operator of Broadkiln Beach Water Company located in Sussex County to issue a boil water notice to customers after water samples collected from the system tested positive for the presence of E. coli bacteria on Friday, July 20. Because the Broadkiln Beach Water Company shares a connection with PrimeHook Water Company, anyone who uses drinking water from either system should not drink the water without boiling it first.

Consumers are advised to bring the water to a boil (212 degrees F), let it boil for a minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills the bacteria and other organisms in the water. It is safe to use the water for bathing/showering and for washing clothes.

The water system operator is required by state law to notify all consumers of the contamination and the boil water notice. The well and the distribution system are currently being disinfected and flushed, and a chlorine treatment system has been put in place by the system operator. The DPH Office of Drinking Water (ODW) will alert the water system operator when bacteria is no longer present, and the public will be informed when boiling water is no longer needed.

E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems. The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, contact your health care provider. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.

For more information about E. coli, visit http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/files/ecolifaq.pdf or https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/e_coli.html.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. The lettuce could be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and could make people sick. To date, there have been no confirmed cases reported in Delaware, but DPH urges consumers to take precautions to prevent illness.

Consumers who have store-bought chopped romaine lettuce at home, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, should not eat it and instead throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick. If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine, do not eat it and throw it away. Before purchasing romaine lettuce at a grocery store or eating it at a restaurant, consumers should confirm with the store or restaurant that it is not chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. Do not buy or eat it if the source of the romaine lettuce is unknown.

Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any chopped romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. Businesses should ask their suppliers about the source of their chopped romaine lettuce.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and multiple states are investigating the outbreak. According to the CDC, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified at this time.

• 35 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 11 states. According to the CDC, nearby Pennsylvania has reported nine cases, New Jersey has reported seven cases, and Virginia has reported one case.

• 22 ill people have been hospitalized, and three people have developed kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

People usually get sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli two to eight days (average of three to four days) after swallowing the bacteria. Most people infected with E. coli O157 develop diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within one week. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination. People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately. Medical providers should report suspected cases of E. coli O157:H7 to the DPH Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 302-744-4990 or 24/7 at 888-295-5156.

For more information:

CDC: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Chopped Romaine Lettuce

CDC: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Chopped Romaine Lettuce (Espanol)

Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers 

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.