People in U.S., Canada warned to not eat romaine lettuce

This Jan. 24, 2012, file photo shows a Caesar salad with romaine lettuce. Food regulators are urging Americans not to eat any romaine lettuce because of a new food poisoning outbreak. The FDA says it's investigating an E. coli outbreak that has sickened over two dozen people in several states. The FDA says it's working with officials in Canada, where officials are also warning against romaine lettuce. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File) This Jan. 24, 2012, file photo shows a Caesar salad with romaine lettuce. Food regulators are urging Americans not to eat any romaine lettuce because of a new food poisoning outbreak. The FDA says it's investigating an E. coli outbreak that has sickened over two dozen people in several states. The FDA says it's working with officials in Canada, where officials are also warning against romaine lettuce. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File)

By Associated Press November 20, 2018 2 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Health officials in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday told people to avoid eating romaine lettuce because of a new E. coli outbreak.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it was working with officials in Canada on the outbreak, which has sickened 32 people in 11 states in the U.S. and 18 people in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

The strain identified is different than the one linked to romaine earlier this year, but it appears similar to one linked to leafy greens last year.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the agency didn’t have enough information to request suppliers issue a recall, but he said supermarkets and restaurants should withdraw romaine products until the contamination can be identified.

No deaths have been reported, but 13 of the people who became sick in the U.S. were hospitalized. The last reported illness was on Oct. 31.