Federal health officials said Friday that ground beef is behind an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 109 people, 17 of whom have been hospitalized.
No common brand or supplier of the tainted meat has been identified yet, and the investigation is ongoing, the Centers for Disease Control said in a post on its website.
People sickened by the outbreak reported eating ground beef both at home and in restaurants.
The CDC said people can continue to consume ground beef, but they should make sure to cook it thoroughly.
The outbreak has sickened people in six states, including Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, and Kentucky.
"Ill people bought or ate ground beef from several different grocery stores and restaurants," the CDC said. "Many ill people bought large trays or chubs of ground beef from grocery stores and used the meat to make dishes like spaghetti sauce and sloppy joe."
Symptoms of E. coli infection often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms typically appear three to four days after swallowing the germ, and last five to seven days.
