If you have Romaine lettuce in your refrigerator, either fresh or as part of a salad mix, the Center for Disease Control is urging you to get rid of it IMMEDIATELY (and not by eating it).
A massive E. coli outbreak has been linked to romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, Arizona region. 18 new cases have been discovered across 16 states over the last week, and although no deaths have been reported, the CDC is urging customers to not take that risk.
There has so far been 1 case linked to this outbreak in Virginia.
People infected with E. coli typically start feeling ill three to four days after ingesting contaminated food. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, loose stool and vomiting. You should see a doctor if you have diarrhea that lasts more than three days, or is accompanied by fever, blood in the stool, or vomiting so persistent you can’t keep down liquids, the CDC recommends.