Indiana has been added to the list of states affected by a beef e. coli outbreak that began in early March of 2019. The beef e. coli outbreak has been linked to contaminated ground beef, although a specific source has not yet been identified according to
E. coli Beef Lawyer
Ron Simon, this is likely to change in the very near future.
On April 12, 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added Indiana to the states in the region with reports of illnesses from e. coli contamination, joining Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio, Virginia, and Tennesssee. Because it is a multi-state outbreak, the CDC has taken the lead in the epidemiological investigation. As
E.coli lawyer Tony Coveny
explains:
“Anytime you have an outbreak that crosses state lines, like in a criminal case such as a kidnapping where the FBI is brought in, the outbreak becomes a federal matter and the CDC assumes control. They still work primarily through the local health agencies which, of course, report to each state health agency. The local health departments provide the boots on the ground and usually the key to an outbreak is uncovered by one of those agencies. It is an effective system with one caveat – the time form infection to reporting to testing to including a victim in the official numbers at the CDC can lag for weeks due to the number of intervening entities. Nonetheless, the United States is well respected for its ability to track an outbreak, and the network of health departments, especially including the tools like PulseNet, is the most efficient system on the planet.”
According to local reports, at least one person in Indiana has become ill from contaminated ground beef to date, though there is scant information on whether they purchased and consumed the beef in Indiana or a neighboring state. The CDC emphasizes that the count of illnesses generally increases as more consumers seek medical assistance. The process typically takes 2-3 weeks from the time someone becomes ill to the time the CDC receives the report from the healthcare professional. Seventeen people have been hospitalized because of the severity of their e. coli symptoms.
Investigations into the source of
the e. coli contamination
began at the end of March, when a number of illnesses were reported in Kentucky and Georgia. As noted by E. coli lawyer Coveny above, the outbreak then became a federal matter when it spread to neighboring states, including Tennessee, Ohio, and Virginia. Indiana was only added when the Indiana resident’s illness was identified as e. coli O103, the same strain as the outbreak, and that contamination was traced to ground beef.
Kentucky is experiencing the highest number of illnesses, with 54 reported as of April 12, 2019. (At least three of the Kentucky victims have contacted the e. coli beef attorneys s at Ron Simon & Associates so far, even though it is a bit premature to file a beef e. coli lawsuit at this time.) Tennessee has 28 reported cases of e. coli contamination, while Georgia has 17, Ohio has 7, and Virginia has 2. As of the April 12, 2019, report from the CDC, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified.
To speak to one of the beef
e. coli lawyers at Ron Sion & Associates
, or to discuss a beef e. coli lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.