Wendy’s restaurant E. coli outbreak sickened more people as its spread to six more states

Wendy’s restaurant chain was previously linked to an E. coli outbreak in some U.S. states, and in the latest update, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the infection had already spread to six states.

The national public health agency said the E. coli outbreak now includes Kentucky and New York. More than a week ago, the bacteria infection was only detected in Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Now, it was reported that the number of people who were sickened after consuming sandwiches at Wendy’s also rose from 37 to 97 today.

It is believed that the E. Coli infections are linked to the lettuce that Wendy’s used in its sandwiches. The romaine lettuce is mainly being pointed at as the possible culprit for the outbreak that sickened dozens of people in six states now.

According to the CDC, at least 97 cases were reported, and more than half of them are in Michigan. Fox Business reported that the real number of sick people due to E. coli infection could even be higher than the reported cases. The federal health agency warned that the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses as well.

To date, 43 people have been hospitalized, and some experienced more severe outcomes after consuming food at certain Wendy’s outlets in the mentioned states. Then again, there is only one case each in Kentucky and New York as of this time.

Out of the 97 people, 10 of them also developed severe complications called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition is serious as it can cause kidney failure, but fortunately, there is no report of death yet that is related to the Wendy’s E.coli outbreak.

As a precaution, Wendy’s already removed the lettuce in its locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. The infections may also be from the consumption of sandwiches only as the burger joint uses a different kind of lettuce for its salads.

In any case, CNN Business reported that the CDC has not yet confirmed the exact source of the E. coli, so no specific type of food at Wendy’s was actually tied to the outbreak. The healthy agency is also not telling customers to stop dining at Wendy's because there is still no solid proof that the romaine lettuce it used and being sold in grocery stores is responsible for the outbreak.