Four more people die from E. coli outbreak in U.S.

LOS ANGELES, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Four more people have died as a result of the E. coli outbreak tied to romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region of Arizona, bringing the total to five deaths, health officials reported Friday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 197 people in 35 states so far have fallen ill in the outbreak, among whom eighty-nine people have been hospitalized and 26 developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Two deaths from the current outbreak occurred in Minnesota, and one each in Arkansas, California, and New York.

The CDC had not pinpointed the exact source of the outbreak, but the agency said in April that Information indicated that romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region could be contaminated with coli O157:H7 and could make people sick.

Meanwhile the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that since the last shipment of romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region was harvested on April 26 and the season there is over, it's unlikely that any contaminated lettuce is still in circulation due to its 21-day shelf life.

This is the worst multi-state outbreak in the country since 2006, when contaminated spinach was linked to 238 illnesses and five deaths.

E. coli is a bacterium that can exist in animal or human feces. Most people infected by the bacteria suffer symptoms for about three to four days after consuming contaminated food or drinks, which normally include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Enditem