The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns of a “rapidly growing” outbreak of Salmonella infections in the US.
On Friday, the CDC reported that a total of 212 people from 23 states have been infected with Salmonella with a total of 31 hospitalizations. They stated that illnesses first emerged between late June to early July. Between Tuesday and Thursday, 87 additional people reported infections, according to Friday’s report.
According to the CDC’s map of reported cases, most of the infections are in Oregon and Utah, with 51 and 40 infections respectively. The two states are followed by Michigan, Arizona, Iowa, California, and Montana, which all have reported ten or more infections, according to the report.
The CDC has not “identified a specific food, grocery store, or restaurant as the source of this outbreak,” according to the report.
The CDC identifies diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps as symptoms of Salmonella that emerge between six hours to six days after infection. The illness lasts between four to seven days.
The CDC asks individuals with symptoms to report their illness to the local health department, considering that most people undergo treatment for the infection. The CDC said that they are interviewing infected individuals to understand what may have caused the outbreak.
To prevent Salmonella infection, the CDC advises washing hands and cleaning fruits and vegetables before consumption. The agency also recommends refrigerating perishable foods. They have not yet advised against consuming, serving, or selling any food item at this time. ♦
(The story originally published by The Business Insider)
