- Registration Date 2016-07-26
- Hit 540
CONCORD, N.H. ?State health investigators are warning about an E. coli outbreak after a dozen people got sick from eating ground beef.
Officials don't know where the contamination came from, but are now cautioning people to make sure their ground beef is cooked.
State health leaders said the outbreak doesn't pose a risk to people as long they're making sure their food is properly prepared.
Infections can be mild, but others could face severe health problems.
According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, eating ground beef has caused 12 people to be infected with the same strain of E. coli.
"Because of the potential complications with this bacteria, we're very concerned," said Beth Daly, chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control.
Since last month, health officials said those affected ate ground beef at several different locations.
"So we're in the process now of tracing back information to determine what the source of ground beef was and whether or not it was common to all of them," Daly said.
E. coli can make people feel very sick with symptoms that include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
The symptoms can resolve on their own within about five to seven days.
Children, especially younger than 5, and the elderly, could be prone to more serious complications.
Health officials warn people should not eat undercooked ground beef.
"You're gonna want to make sure that you cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and that you validate that temperature by using a thermometer," Daly said. "And then of course if you're eating out in a restaurant, you don't want to eat undercooked ground beef either, so you're gonna want to order those hamburgers well done."
State agencies are now working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to figure out what led to the outbreak ... and whether there are any more cases.
"Once our investigation is complete," Daly said, "we'll hopefully be able to tell people exactly which type of ground beef this was so that they can avoid eating that ground beef altogether."
To report a suspected E. coli case, contact the DHHS Bureau of Infectious Disease
Division
Written by Risk Information Division