E . Coli Outbreak in Oregon Linked to Strawberries

E . Coli Outbreak in Oregon Linked
to Strawberries
An
elderly
woman
died and
at least
nine
other people were sickened after
eating fresh strawberries from an
Oregon farm contaminated with E .
coli , officials said on Monday .
The strawberries were produced at
the Jaquith Strawberry Farm in
Newberg , about 20 miles southwest
of Portland, and sold at farmers'
markets and roadside stands , said
the state 's public health division.
Officials stressed that strawberries
sold at supermarkets are not linked
to the outbreak , which has caused
illnesses in several northwest Oregon
counties .
An 85 year-old woman died from
kidney failure associated with the
infection , officials said. Among the
other nine confirmed cases , four
individuals were hospitalized .
State health officials believe that
another six people who developed
an E . coli infection could be part of
the outbreak .
All the victims fell ill between July 10
and July 29, but Oregon public health
officials did not begin their
investigation until August 3 , said Dr.
Paul Cieslak , communicable disease
manager for Oregon Public Health .
That is because sickened individuals
must first go to the doctor , and
medical laboratories must report the
cases to the state .
" There is a lag built into the system, "
Cieslak said .
There are about 265 , 000 infections
from E . Coli every year in the United
States , and about 36 percent of them
come from the strain known as
Escherichia coli 0157: H 7 that Oregon
officials blame for this latest
outbreak , according to the U .S .
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention .
There is no recall of strawberries
from Jaquith Strawberry Farm ,
because that produce is no longer
being sold.
But officials advised anyone who
believes they may have bought
strawberries from the Oregon farm
to throw them away , and warned
that fruits which have been frozen or
made into uncooked jam are of
particular concern.

E . Coli Outbreak in Oregon Linked
to Strawberries