FDA identifies E. coli outbreak but leaves many questions unanswered
37 people have gotten sick so far, but the FDA hasn’t released information on where the cases are
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Federal officials are investigating a new outbreak of infections. Nearly 40 people have gotten sick from the food-borne illness E. coli.
But the FDA report leaves more questions than answers. The Food and Drug Administration has a process of how it investigates outbreaks. It says 37 people have gotten sick so far but has not released information on where those people live or how severe the cases are.
The CDC has not released any information on the outbreak yet. We’ll be following this so we can alert you and especially let you know if we’re impacted in Wisconsin.
Food-borne illness, often called food poisoning, comes from food contaminated by toxins or bacteria.
The FDA says there are about 48 million cases of food poisoning each year in the U.S. -- that’s 1 in 6 Americans coming down it -- with an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths every year.
E. coli is naturally occurring, and we all have some in our bodies, but too much of it overwhelms our natural defenses. E. coli itself does not have a smell or taste, so it’s hard to detect it in your food.
Symptoms of E. coli include bad stomach cramps, diarrhea, or bloody stool.
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