CDC: E. coli outbreak in Kentucky that may be linked to ground beef expands to 10 states

Billy Kobin
Courier Journal

The E. coli outbreak that has sickened dozens in Kentucky and may be linked to ground beef has expanded to 10 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday.

The outbreak strain of E. coli O103 has infected 156 people in 10 states, including 65 people in Kentucky, according to the CDC. 

Twenty people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported, the CDC said.

Kentucky continues to have the highest number of reported cases, while Tennessee (41 cases) and Georgia (33 cases) have the next two highest.

Tuesday's updated numbers marked an uptick from April 12, when the CDC reported 109 cases of E. coli in 6 states, with 54 cases reported in Kentucky and one case reported in Indiana.

The CDC began investigating in late March when Kentucky and Georgia officials notified it of the outbreak.

Previously:Ground beef may be behind E. coli outbreak in Kentucky, CDC says

The outbreak has since spread to Mississippi, Minnesota, Illinois and Georgia, according to the CDC.

The CDC said preliminary interview information from people who have become ill "suggests" ground beef is the source, but no common supplier, distributor or brand has been identified at this point.

However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Tuesday that Colorado Premium Foods is recalling more than 113,000 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O103.

The items were produced in March and April and shipped to distributors in Florida and Georgia for further distribution to restaurants, according to the department.

Kentucky's state health department previously said both children and adults have gotten sick from the outbreak, and many of the people who've been infected live in Central Kentucky.

See also:Chicken often contains fecal bacteria, lawsuit against USDA claims

Although the CDC isn't recommending that people stop eating ground beef, it is offering the following advice:

  • Handle ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly — to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit — before eating it.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water after you touch raw ground beef.
  • Wash any countertops, kitchenware, plates and utensils with either hot, soapy water or a bleach solution after they've touched raw meat.
  • Refrain from eating any ground beef that's raw or undercooked.
  • Thaw ground beef in the refrigerator and cook or refreeze it within two days.
  • Refrigerate cooked ground beef within two hours and then use those leftovers within four days.

People usually get sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli three to four days after swallowing the germ, according to the CDC.

Symptoms usually last five to seven days and often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, as well as vomiting.

For more information, visit cdc.gov/ecoli/ecoli-prevention.

Check out:Tempted to eat raw cookie dough? 'Just say no,' CDC warns

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030.