COLUMBUS, Ohio – Health officials in Ohio and Michigan said Tuesday that a spike in illnesses from E. coli may be linked to ground beef sold in late May.

The Ohio Department of Health said raw ground beef sample linked to an E. coli case in Ohio has tested positive for the bacteria. The department is testing the sample to confirm if it is linked to 15 cases of illness in Michigan and 17 in Ohio.

The beef was sold in late May in Columbus and Toledo, Ohio and some Michigan Kroger stores. The beef is no longer on store shelves. There have been 14 people hospitalized in the outbreak. No deaths have been reported.

"We are working with state and federal investigators to determine the supplier," said Kroger spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "Food safety is very important to us, and we take these issues seriously."

Source: Associated Press