E. coli flare-up sickens 72 individuals in 5 states, CDC says

E. coli has sickened 72 individuals crosswise over five states, the CDC said Friday.

Eight individuals have been hospitalized.

Health officials have not pinpointed a particular food, grocer or restaurant as the source.

Health officials are investigating an E. coli flare-up that has sickened 72 individuals crosswise over five states, federal health agencies said Friday.

The reported cases were in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement announcing the outbreak. Eight people have been hospitalized, the CDC added.

The agency is working with the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate the flare-up. They have not yet pinpointed a particular food, market or eatery network that is responsible for the infections. Accordingly, the CDC isn’t prescribing individuals stay away from a specific nourishment.

E. coli O103 is the particular strain involved in the cases, which were reported between March 2 and March 29, the CDC said. The people infected range between the ages of 1 to 74, with 17 being the median age.

Symptoms of E. coli include severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC. Most people get better within five to seven days, though the illness can be severe and in some cases even life-threatening, the CDC said.

Last year, an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce sickened 62 people across 16 states and Washington, D.C.