Two people have died and at least 99 have become ill in a salmonella outbreak involving cantaloupe and cut fruit, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Friday, the public health agency issued a “food safety alert,” noting that two deaths were reported in Minnesota and that salmonella cases have been reported in 32 states.
Of the at least 99 people who became ill, 45 were hospitalized, according to the CDC. The most diseases were recorded in Arizona, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
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The outbreak has been linked to multiple brands of fruit — particularly whole cantaloupes with “Malichita” or “Rudy” labels and the number “4050” and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique”; Vinyard pre-sliced melons sold in Oklahoma between October 30 and November 10; and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-sliced fruit products with best-by dates between October 27 and October 31 in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin.
The recall also includes some Guaranteed Freshness and RaceTrac pre-cut melons sold in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia with best-by dates between November 7 and 12.
“Investigators are working to identify additional cantaloupe products that may be contaminated,” the CDC said.
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According to the CDC chart, the first illnesses were reported on October 17th.
“The true number of people affected in this outbreak is likely much higher than reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to states with known disease,” the CDC noted. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported because it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine whether a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
The CDC urges businesses not to “sell or serve the recalled cantaloupe and products made from the recalled cantaloupe” and to “wash and disinfect items and surfaces.”
Those infected with salmonella experience symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Health officials in Canada are also investigating the outbreak, according to the CDC.
As previously reported, the CDC notes that salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the US each year.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education