Twenty-one people sickened, seven hospitalized in Florida after drinking raw milk

Twenty-one people in Florida have recently become sick in Florida after drinking contaminated raw milk that appears linked to a particular farm, according to state health department.

The bulletin issued Monday by the department said seven of those who became sick were hospitalized. It did not name the farm but said at least some of the cases were related Campylobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC. 

In Florida, raw milk can only be sold for non-human consumption as pet or animal food, which limits regulation efforts of sanitary practices. And containers must have a label clearly stating that the raw milk is for animal consumption only, health officials also said.  

Six of the 21 cases are children under the age of 10.  Those at highest risk of "severe illness" are infants and young children, pregnant women and the elderly as well as those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDH.

There have been severe complications in two of the cases, officials also said.