The CDC has not issued a “final update” on the number of people sickened in the Jimmy John’s E. coli O26 outbreak linked to clover sprouts served on its sandwiches. The 25 currently recognized victims are from 8 states–Alabama (1), Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (9), Arkansas (1), Ohio (3), and Wisconsin (1)–but the CDC’s March 8 update cautioned that, possibly, not all illnesses had been reported due to the delay between illness onset and confirmation of a match to the Jimmy John’s outbreak, a process that can take weeks.
The Jimmy Johns outbreak (the latest outbreak anways) has resulted in 3 lawsuits–two on behalf of Iowa women, and one recent suit on behalf of a female student at Michigan State University. All three were hospitalized as a result of their illnesses.
Where does the current Jimmy Johns sprouts E. coli outbreak rank in the annals of Jimmy Johns outbreaks? By number of victims, this sprout outbreak is the second smallest of 5 different Jimmy Johns outbreaks linked to sprouts since 2008:
Sprouters Northwest, Jimmy Johns restaurants Salmonella outbreak 2010 (7 ill)
Tiny Greens alfalfa sprouts and Jimmy Johns Sandwiches Salmonella outbreak 2010 (140 ill)
2009 Alfalfa Sprout outbreak linked to Jimmy Johns and other retail outlets (256 ill)