The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control say that canal water from the Yuma area has been identified as the probable cause of recent E. coli contamination of romaine lettuce.

The CDC collected samples from water , soil and cow manure from the area and , to date , the analysis of canal water has identified the same genetic strain of E. coli  0157:H7 as the outbreak strain . So far , the samples from the canal water are the only matches to the outbreak strain. Analysis of additional samples is ongoing according to the CDC.

The CDC says that 210 people in 36 states became ill between March 13 , 2018 and June 6, 2018. There have been 96 hospitalizations and 5 deaths attributed to the outbreak of E. coli in romaine lettuce grown , packed and shipped from the Yuma , Arizona region.