Health officials warn Canadians to avoid eating romaine lettuce

Canadian and United States health officials are telling people to stop eating romaine lettuce because of a new E. coli outbreak.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says 15 people in Quebec and three in Ontario have become ill due to the outbreak – with six requiring hospitalization.

The agency says the cases were reported between mid-October and early November and those affected were between the ages of 5 and 93.

No deaths have been reported however one person suffered from hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a severe complication that can result from an E. coli infection.

“These recent illnesses indicate that contaminated romaine lettuce may still be on the market, including in restaurants, grocery stores and any establishments that serve food,” said Public Health in a notice on their website.

Symptoms of an E. coli infection can include nausea, vomiting, headache, mild fever, severe stomach cramps and diarrhea.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it’s working with U.S authorities to determine the source of the romaine lettuce those who got ill were exposed to.