LOCAL

Romaine lettuce linked to E. coli outbreak sickens 10 people in Minnesota

At least 10 people in Minnesota have become ill from E. coli O157 linked to the national outbreak from contaminated romaine lettuce produced in the Yuma, Arizona region.

As of May 9, 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 149 people in 29 states have become ill from the outbreak and it has resulted in 1 death and 64 hospitalizations.

Of the 10 cases in Minnesota linked to the romaine lettuce outbreak, 90% are female, date of illness onset ranges between April 20 and May 2, and geographic distribution includes the Twin Cities metro area and greater Minnesota counties.  Three cases have been hospitalized and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

People are advised to not consume any romaine lettuce produced from the Yuma, Arizona region and to dispose of the lettuce immediately.  This lettuce should be disposed of immediately.  The Yuma, Arizona region includes parts of western Arizona and the Imperial Valley of southeastern California.

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)

NATIONAL

Cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases continue to rise

The number of tick-borne disease diagnoses in people continues to increase every year. Over 80% of tick-borne disease-related illnesses in humans are due Lyme disease and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the actual prevalence of Lyme disease in the U.S. is 10 times greater than the number of reported cases.

There are several ways for people to prevent ticks and tick-borne disease. Avoid wooded areas and areas with high grasses, wear light-colored clothing for easier tick detection, apply insect repellent containing 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 to clothes and exposed areas of the body, and several other ways.

Lyme disease is transmittable to many of our domestic animals as well, such as dogs, cats, and horses. There are also several ways to prevent ticks and tick-borne disease in our animals.  Many of the preventative measures in animals are similar to humans such as using a tick repellent. There is also a vaccine available against Lyme disease for dogs and horses. Annual vaccination against Lyme disease is highly recommended, especially in Lyme disease-endemic areas.

Note: Do not use a tick repellent on a pet unless it is an approved veterinary tick preventative and it is specifically labeled for the type of pet it is being administered to, otherwise it may cause a severe reaction or be fatal (for example, cats administered a tick preventative labeled for dogs can have severe or fatal reactions).

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) News

INTERNATIONAL

New Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

United Nations (U.N.) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have deployed emergency specialists to try to prevent the spread of an Ebola epidemic which is suspected to have infected more than 30 people thus far, although only 2 cases have been laboratory confirmed. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is preparing to deploy 4000 doses of the experimental Ebola vaccine in the DRC.

The DRC first reported the outbreak on May 8, 2018. The outbreak was centered around the village of Ikoko Impenge with 32 suspected, probable, or confirmed cases, including 18 deaths occurring since April 4. Some cases of hemorrhagic illness and death started occurring as early as January but have not yet been linked to the current epidemic.

Over 362 contacts have been traced back to those who are ill.  Contacts include two people in the city of Mbandaka, which is the capital city of the DRC’s Équateur province. The city and the surrounding areas have a population of about 1 million people.

The DRC has had eight Ebola epidemics throughout history which were located in areas with poor transport links and failed to spread to become a national crisis. However, the current outbreak is in close proximity to nearby larger cities as well as the Congo River, which is a major transportation route that connects the DRC’s national capital city of Kinshasa to Brazzaville, the capital city of the Republic of the Congo.

Reuters