Some 156 people in 10 states infected with E. coli from ground beef

A total of 156 people in 10 states have been infected with E. coli after eating tainted ground beef at home and in restaurants since the beginning of March. No deaths have been reported but 20 people have been hospitalized after they were infected with the strain E. coli O103 since March 1. A investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the contaminated ground beef that was supplied to grocery stores and restaurants.


At this time, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified. The investigation began on March 28, when officials in Kentucky and Georgia notified the CDC of the outbreak. Since then, some 65 cases have been reported in Kentucky, 41 in Tennessee and another 33 in Georgia.

E. coli cases have also been reported in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Virginia.

People infected with the bacteria get sick two to eight days after swallowing the germ, and may sometimes develop a type of kidney failure. Many of the infected people had bought large trays or chubs of ground beef from grocery stores and used the meat to make dishes like spaghetti sauce and Sloppy Joes.

It is not recommending that consumers avoid eating ground beef at this time, but said that consumers and restaurants should handle ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly to avoid foodborne illnesses.