7 Washingtonians Sickened In Multi-State E. Coli Outbreak

SEATTLE — Seven Washingtonians have been sickened as part of a multi-state E. coli outbreak, the Department of Health confirmed Thursday.

According to a news release from the DOH, all seven cases have been linked to Simple Truth Organic Power Greens prepackaged salads sold at QFC and Fred Meyer inside the state. Anyone who has purchased a Simple Truth Organic Power Greens salad with a best by date on or before December 20, 2021 is advised to discard it immediately. No other products currently on the market are believed to be contaminated, the agency said.

The affected patients have not been identified, but health leaders say there was one patient each in King, Snohomish, Whatcom, Pierce, Thurston, Mason and Skagit counties. The first became sick in late November and early December. Of the seven, two were hospitalized, and one developed a serious type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, but no deaths have been reported. Other cases have been confirmed in Oregon, California, Ohio, Mississippi, and Alaska.

“E. coli O157:H7 can cause serious illness,” said State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases, Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH. “If you notice symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea, contact your health care provider right away. Even if you ate some of the product and did not get sick, throw the rest away.”

Other E. coli symptoms include:

• Abdominal cramps
• Pale skin
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Unexplained bruises
• Bleeding from the nose and mouth
• Decreased urination.

Symptoms usually present themselves between two and eight days after the initial exposure. Most illnesses resolve within a week, but some can last longer and cause serious health complications, so patients with symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately, the DOH warns.

>> Learn more about E. coli from the CDC.