(Nicole Ireland/ CBC News)— The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning people in Ontario and Quebec not to eat romaine lettuce as it works with U.S. health officials to determine the source of an outbreak of E. coli infections in the two provinces and in 11 states.
As of Tuesday, there have been 18 confirmed cases of the bacterial infection in Canada, the agency said in a notice posted on its website. Fifteen cases of the illnesses were in Quebec and three were in Ontario.
“Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that residents in other parts of Canada are affected by this outbreak,” the notice said.
The illnesses believed to be associated with the outbreak began in mid-October and the risk appears to be “ongoing,” the Public Health Agency of Canada said.
“Recent illnesses indicate that contaminated romaine lettuce may still be on the market, including in restaurants, grocery stores and any establishments that serve food,” it said. (…)