CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. This outbreak was different from two other E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks that occurred at the same time.

A total of 40 outbreak associated cases were reported by 19 states. Twenty people were hospitalized. There were no deaths. Illnesses started on dates ranging from August 10, 2020 to October 31, 2020.

State and local public health officials interviewed ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures in the week before they got sick. Of the 23 ill people interviewed, 22 reported eating or maybe eating a variety of leafy greens, including spinach (16) and romaine lettuce (15).

FDA completed traceback investigations for several types of leafy greens ill people reported eating. Several farms of interest were identified, but no single ranch was a common source of the leafy greens.

On December 22, 2020, the outbreak was declared over.

The FDA issued a report describing factors potentially contributing to the contamination of leafy greens implicated in the outbreak. A link to the report can be found at: https://www.fda.gov/food/outbr...