Ground Beef Linked to E.coli Outbreak in New Hampshire

Officials investigating the outbreak of E.coli infection in New Hampshire have linked the outbreak to ground beef and have stated that they are now trying to find out the source of the contaminated meat.

According to the report from CBS Boston, 12 people have been reported to come down with the same strain of E.coli since June after eating ground beef at a number of different locations.

"The Division of Public Health Services is working with our federal partners to investigate the source of the ground beef that is causing people in New Hampshire to become ill," said Marcella Bobinsky, Acting Director of Division of Public Health Services (DPHS), in a press release. "Ground beef is a known source of E. coli and it is important for people to avoid eating under-cooked ground beef whether at home or at a restaurant. Young children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to severe illness with this infection."

The strain that infected a dozen of people in New Hampshire is known as Escherichia coli O157:H7, which can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloody stool and vomiting. Most people get better within five to seven days. However, some cases can be very severe or life-threatening, especially young children and elderly due to the possible complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

New Hampshire health officials noted that the outbreak does not present a risk to New Hampshire residents, but they recommended that consumers should strictly follow food safety best practices. They advised consumers to thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards and utensils after they touch raw meat to avoid cross contamination in food preparation areas. Additionally, thermometer is still the best option to check if a meat is cooked. Ground beef should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F or 70˚C.

DPHS is now working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine the source of the contaminated ground beef. USDA is responsible for the regulation of the safety of ground beef in the United States.