First Death Reported in E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Romaine Lettuce

The first death from an ongoing outbreak of E. coli tied to romaine lettuce has been reported in California, federal health officials said Wednesday.

The outbreak -- tied to lettuce grown in Arizona -- has now also spread to half of the 50 states, with 23 more cases reported since the last update on Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

So far, a total of 121 cases of illness caused by a particularly virulent strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported.

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