Raleigh News & Observer: State investigating 21 cases in pathogenic E. coli outbreak

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Sarah Nagem and Thomas Goldsmith of the Raleigh News & Observer report that health officials in North Carolina have upped the number of potential illnesses associated with a current E. coli outbreak to 21. Yesterday, Wake County and state health officials suggested that many of the illnesses were linked to visiting the state fair. It is unclear from reports whether additional cases are also linked to visiting the event.

Update: WRAL is reporting that six of the additional  suspected cases are in Sampson County, where one child is hospitalized. Four other suspected cases are in Wake County, while Durham County and Franklin County have one each.

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About Ben Chapman

Dr. Ben Chapman is a professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. As a teenager, a Saturday afternoon viewing of the classic cable movie, Outbreak, sparked his interest in pathogens and public health. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers, and organizational decision-makers; the gate keepers of safe food. Ben co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and, maybe not surprisingly, Pinterest. Follow on Twitter @benjaminchapman.