Multistate E. coli outbreak traced to romaine lettuce from Arizona

YUMA, Ariz. -- The Centers for Disease Control says a multistate E. coli outbreak that has sickened nearly three dozen people is linked to lettuce grown in Arizona.

The CDC said Friday that 35 people across 11 states have become ill from chopped romaine lettuce from Yuma.

Twenty-two of them have been hospitalized, including three with kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

The agency has not identified a common grower, supplier, distributor or brand.

But officials advise that consumers, restaurants and retailers should throw out any chopped romaine lettuce that came from the Yuma area.

Symptoms of E. coli infection include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting.

Yuma is about 185 miles (298 kilometers) southwest of Phoenix.

Yuma bills itself as the "winter lettuce capital" and hosts an annual Lettuce Festival.