Maize school employee tests positive for E. coli, possibly from romaine lettuce

The kitchen at Maize South High School will be disinfected overnight and romaine lettuce will not be served after a school employee tested positive for an E. coli infection, officials said.

Maize Superintendent Chad Higgins said in a message to parents that a school employee may have eaten romaine lettuce at school and at home before contracting the infection. Romaine lettuce has not been served in the school district since Nov. 16.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has since reported an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to eating romaine lettuce, the district’s statement said.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials do not think there is a risk to students or employees at the school, Higgins said, but the district will disinfect the school’s kitchen overnight and again Wednesday morning as a precaution.

Contributing: Julie Mah of The Eagle

This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 8:10 PM with the headline "Maize school employee tests positive for E. coli, possibly from romaine lettuce."