Latest Update: This afternoon, CDC announced updated information regarding its multi-state E. coli investigation. A specific food has not yet been confirmed as the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania before getting sick. Based on this information, Wendy’s is taking the precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants in the region. Wendy’s uses a different type of romaine lettuce for salads.
Investigators are working to confirm whether romaine lettuce is the source of this outbreak, and whether romaine lettuce used in Wendy’s sandwiches was served or sold at other businesses. Wendy’s is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Like CDC, Wood County Health Department is not advising that people avoid eating at Wendy’s restaurants or that people stop eating romaine lettuce.
- Wendy’s is taking the precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants in this region.
- At this time, there is no evidence to indicate that romaine lettuce sold in grocery stores, served in other restaurants, or in people’s homes is linked to this outbreak.
- Wood County Health Department worked with Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Department of Agriculture to have food samples from a local Wendy’s tested. All food samples tested were negative for E. coli.
- At this time, we have not seen cases outside of our initial exposure window that report eating at Wendy’s during the incubation period for E. coli.
CDC will update its advice if other foods to avoid are identified.
Wood County Shiga Toxin E. coli cases
| Total cases reported in Wood County since July 31, 2022 | 23 |
| Age range of cases | 13-68 |
| Total hospitalizations reported since July 31 | 7 |
| Age range – hospitalized cases | 21-60 |
The CDC is currently investigating reports of E. coli cases in Michigan and Ohio. Information on the CDC investigation is linked here: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2022/o157h7-08-22/index.html
Please note that only those E. coli cases from Wood County whose serotype matches the one under investigation by the CDC are included in the CDC’s report. Currently ten cases from Wood County have a serotype that matches those under investigation by the CDC.