By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

Federal health officials declared the Salinas-linked romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak over on Wednesday. Officials say contaminated romaine lettuce that made people sick in this outbreak harvested from the Salinas Valley growing region in California is no longer available for sale. CDC is no longer advising that people avoid romaine lettuce from this growing region.

Image/CDC

A total of 167 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 27 states. Eighty-five people were hospitalized including 15 people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths were reported.

The FDA and CDC have been tracking two multi-state romaine lettuce outbreaks. Wednesday, federal health officials are declaring both multi-state romaine lettuce outbreaks over. In addition to the above outbreak, another outbreak, linked to Fresh Express salad kits, sickened 10 people in five states.

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There was also a third outbreak in Washington State that sickened 11 people. This outbreak has also been declared over.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicated that romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley growing region in California was the likely source of this outbreak. FDA continues to investigate the source of contamination.