One additional E. coli case confirmed in Mesa County as CDC expands outbreak, risk to the public is low

Latest outbreak information

One additional case of E. coli in Mesa County has been linked to the multi-state outbreak, bringing the total number of cases in our community to 11.  Our disease surveillance team at Mesa County Public Health (MCPH) regularly communicates with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and our federal partners to stay updated on the latest information. 

“Due to the quick actions by our agency, the risk to the community right now is considered low. We are waiting on additional state testing to see if other E. coli cases are linked to the outbreak. Our agency has mobilized and cross-trained several members of our team to provide support for community members who have questions or concerns,” said Kathleen Satterfield, MCPH Epidemiologist Supervisor. 

Our Environmental Health team at MCPH focuses on supporting local restaurants to ensure Mesa County residents have access to safe food.

“Our Environmental Health team works closely with local restaurant management to ensure safety protocols are in place,” said Sally Born, Environmental Health Manager at MCPH. “Our local McDonalds establishments are following all safety protocols and have done everything asked of them to keep customers safe.”

E. coli symptoms to watch for

• Mild non-bloody diarrhea
• Bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Symptoms typically begin three to four days after exposure but can begin between one to ten days. 
• Anyone is susceptible to E. coli, however, in some adults and children, it can lead to serious infection.

What consumers can do

• Reach out to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing E. coli symptoms. 
• Practice good hand hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or before preparing food.
• Do not prepare food for others while experiencing diarrhea.
• If you are still experiencing diarrhea, stay home from school, work, and child care.

For more information

• Local updates: Sign up for health alerts from Mesa County Public Health on our website.
• Colorado updates: Learn about the state-level response and cases from the CDPHE website.
• Multi-state updates: Learn about the multi-state response and cases from the CDC website.