Staff Reports
In a dire warning on Black Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the recent outbreak of Salmonella infections had doubled since its initial report just a week prior. According to the CDC’s latest update, an additional 56 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella, bringing the total count in the United States to 99 infections across 32 states. On top of that, 28 more individuals have been hospitalized, bringing the total number of hospitalizations to 45. Furthermore, two deaths in Minnesota have been linked to this Salmonella outbreak.
SALMONELLA OUTBREAK UPDATE: 99 people sick in 32 states, including 45 hospitalized and 2 deaths. More whole and pre-cut cantaloupe have been recalled. Throw them away or return them: https://t.co/uPp1P2UcD9 pic.twitter.com/GGTPcWLvBn
— CDC (@CDCgov) November 24, 2023
The situation has now taken an international turn, as the Public Health Agency of Canada has reported a death and an additional 63 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella in Canada. The agency also revealed that 17 individuals have been hospitalized in relation to this issue. The CDC has attributed this sudden international outbreak to cantaloupes, stating that interviews with sick people and laboratory findings support this theory. In response to the outbreak, a variety of cantaloupe brands have been recalled, including “Vinyard” brand pre-cut cantaloupes, “ALDI” whole cantaloupes, and “Freshness Guaranteed” and “RaceTrac” brand pre-cut cantaloupes. The Canadian government has specifically identified the “Malichita” and “Rudy” whole cantaloupes, both of which are from Mexico, as the likely source of the outbreak.
Dr. Marc Stiegel, a clinical professor of medicine, expressed his frustration at the lack of oversight on produce from Mexico. He emphasized that this outbreak serves as a wake-up call, highlighting the potential danger posed by produce grown in a place where the U.S. has little to no control. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection typically include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and headaches. The CDC investigation into the Salmonella outbreak is still considered active as of Sunday afternoon.
