CDC investigating E. coli outbreak across seven states

April 11 (UPI) -- Public health investigators are working to determine the source of an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 17 people.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an outbreak investigation announcement Tuesday, saying the 17 cases have spread across seven states in the past four weeks.

Six people have been hospitalized but no deaths reported, as officials seek to determine what caused the outbreak.

"The investigation is still ongoing and a specific food item, grocery store, or restaurant chain has not been identified as the source of infections," the CDC said.

A total of six cases were reported in New Jersey -- with four in Idaho, two each in Connecticut and Pennsylvania and one each in Missouri, Ohio and Washington.

Officials said illnesses began between March 22 and March 31. The CDC said symptoms typically manifest two to eight days after ingesting the germ. Those affected range in age from 12 to 84, and 64 percent of the patients are women.

"State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures in the week before their illness started," the CDC said.