The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta issued a recall last week for romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, Calif., saying 40 people had been sickened.
In that week, 27 more have been infected by the strain of E. coli O157:H7, with illnesses now appearing in 19 states.
So far, 39 hospitalizations have been reported, and six people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, the CDC reports. No deaths have been reported.
Although preliminary investigations have traced the lettuce to Salinas, no common grower, supplier, distributor or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified, the CDC said.
If you have romaine lettuce or packaged foods containing romaine at home, look for a label showing where the romaine was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker. If it says "grown in Salinas" throw it away. If it isn't labeled with a growing region, throw it away. If you don't know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix or wrap contains romaine, throw it away.
With so many traveling for Thanksgiving, it's worthwhile to check which states have reported exposure to E. coli:
Arizona: 3 cases
California: 4 cases
Colorado: 1 case
Idaho: 3 cases
Illinois: 1 case
Maryland: 4 cases
Michigan: 1 case
Montana: 1 case
Nebraska: 1 case
New Jersey: 1 case
New Mexico: 2 cases
Ohio: 12 cases
Oregon: 1 case
Pennsylvania: 3 cases
Texas: 2 cases
Virginia: 2 cases
Washington: 1 case
Wisconsin: 21 cases
