On January 26th, the CDC issued an update to the Salmonella Poona outbreak associated with cucumbers from Mexico. This is the first update since mid-November. There have now been a total of 888 cases of Salmonella poisoning since the outbreak began last September. These cases are spread out over 39 states. States affected by the outbreak include Alabama with 1 reported case, Alaska with 19 reported cases, Arizona with 134 reported cases, Arkansas with 13 reported cases, California with 241 reported cases, Colorado with 21 reported cases, Connecticut with 1 reported case, Florida with 1 reported case, Hawaii with 1 reported case, Idaho with 26 reported cases, Illinois with 11 reported cases, Indiana with 5 reported cases, Iowa with 7 reported cases, Kansas with 2 reported cases, Kentucky with 1 reported case, Louisiana with 5 reported cases, Maryland with 1 reported case, Minnesota with 43 reported cases, Missouri with 15 reported cases, Montana with 16 reported cases, Nebraska with 8 reported cases, Nevada with 17 reported cases, New Hampshire with 1 reported case, New Mexico with 35 reported cases, New York with 6 reported cases, North Dakota with 8 reported cases, Ohio with 3 reported cases, Oklahoma with 13 reported cases, Oregon with 23 reported cases, Pennsylvania with 2 reported cases, South Carolina with 10 reported cases, South Dakota with 3 reported cases, Tennessee with 1 reported case, Texas with 52 reported cases, Utah with 62 reported cases, Virginia with 1 reported case, Washington with 26 reported cases, Wisconsin with 46 reported cases, and Wyoming with 7 reported cases.
According to the CDC, 50 people have been sickened since the mid-November update. Although the rate of new cases has declined greatly, cases are still occurring above expected levels. Out of the 888 cases, 191 people have had to be hospitalized because of their illness. Six deaths have been reported, with 1 in Arizona, 3 in California, 1 in Oklahoma, and 1 in Texas. Since September 24, 2015 there have been 106 cases of illness. Illnesses have continued to occur even after all recalled cucumbers would have rotted. Health officials are still investigating the source of the more recent illnesses.
Salmonella poisoning is one of the most common forms of foodborne illness in America. It occurs when someone consumes contaminated food or water. Symptoms of the illness will appear between 12 and 72 hours after infection, and will include abdominal cramping, fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In many cases, someone infected with Salmonella will recover within a week and without medical attention. However, in those with certain risk factors, such as the elderly, children, and those with suppressed immune systems, the illness may linger or worsen, making medical attention necessary. If you or a loved one begins to show the symptoms of Salmonella poisoning contact a medical professional.
