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E. coli linked to romaine lettuce in Ontario, Quebec; products being pulled nationally

Nov 21, 2018 | 6:43 AM

UPDATED 11:40 a.m. Wednesday: Loblaw Companies Ltd. has announced it is also removing romaine lettuce products from its stores across Canada.

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Romaine lettuce has begun to disappear from store shelves across Canada, amid an outbreak of E. coli that may be related to a similar outbreak in Dec. 2017.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says on its website that people in Ontario and Quebec should avoid eating romaine lettuce but adds there’s no evidence of it affecting people in other parts of Canada. At least 18 people in Quebec and Ontario have become sick, six of them requiring hospitalization. At least 32 illnesses in the U.S. have also been reported.

Sobeys announced Wednesday, Nov. 21 that it is removing more than 300 romaine lettuce products from its stores across Canada. The list of store chains includes Sobeys, Safeway, and IGA. It cites concern for the health of its customers and employees.

Investigators have not yet found the cause of contamination, only that the source is exposure to romaine lettuce. Lab analysis has found a link to the previous outbreak, and the health agency believes it may be a reoccurring source of contamination.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working with its counterparts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to track down the source. In the meantime, it has not issued any food recall warnings.

Exposure to E. coli can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headache, mild fever, severe stomach cramps, and diarrhea within one to 10 days after contact and ending within five to 10 days. Some people may be infected and show no symptoms.