E. coli cases in Ohio declared outbreak

Health officials in Franklin County, Ohio, have declared an outbreak of E. coli.

Rampant visits to the emergency room from patients complaining of abdominal distress is what first tipped hospital workers there.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, “There E. coli cases within the county have been linked genetically, which means they are likely from the same source.”

At least 11 cases have been confirmed, including four brand new cases. An Ohio state laboratory has not officially linked cases inside Franklin County to those outside its borders, but it’s believed the cases are related.

The Dispatch also reports: “The three linked cases in Franklin County were not caused by the strain found in a 52-year-old Gahanna woman who died May 27.”