A CDC food safety alert regarding an outbreak of Salmonella infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sundsvall-11-23/index.html
Key Points:
- Forty-three people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 15 states. Seventeen people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.
- Interviews with sick people and laboratory findings show that cantaloupes are making people in this outbreak sick.
- Canada is investigating an outbreak with this same Salmonella strain and they found the strain in a sample of Malichita brand cantaloupe.
- Several brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit have been recalled:
- Malichita brand whole cantaloupes
- Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupes
- ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products
- Investigators are working to identify any additional cantaloupe products that may be contaminated.
What You Should Do:
- Do not eat any recalled cantaloupes and other fruit products. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them.
- Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled fruit using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
- Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
What Businesses Should Do
- Do not sell or serve recalled cantaloupes or recalled fruit products.
- Wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have come in contact with recalled fruit.
Salmonella Symptoms:
- Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
- Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
- Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
- Some people—especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
- For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.
If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.
