This weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, usually referred to simply as the CDC, announced it had cracked the case of a large number of Salmonella Thompson cases in and around Colorado – at least 102 victims have been reported so far, a number that is likely to grow rapidly. The victims nearly ALL ate Northeast Seafood Products in Colorado, even if their illnesses were not identified until they returned home to other states. The victim count, so far, has 82 victims in Colorado, but also one in Arizona, one in Connecticut, one in Iowa, two in Minnesota, one in Montana, two in Nebraska, two in New Jersey, one in Pennsylvania, two in Texas, two in Virginia, two in Washington State, two in Wisconsin, and two in Wyoming. Only two victims did not eat Northeast Seafood Products in Colorado.
The CDC also went to Northeast Seafood Products in Colorado to test the products, and identified Salmonella Thompson in their products – something that is rarely so straightforward. This finding adds to the overwhelming empirical data as to the source of the Salmonella Thompson outbreak, removing any lingering doubt. The Salmonella Thompson found in the product was a genetic match to the outbreak strain.
According to one of the nation’s leading Salmonella Lawyer, who has represented thousands of Salmonella victims in the last few decades, “rarely is the proof of causation so clear. Unfortunately, this outbreak has caused over one hundred illnesses, that we know about, and if the statistics are correct, there could be thousands of actual victims. The only victims that actually get counted are those who seek medical attention, have a stool test performed, and where the health agencies do advanced analysis to determine the serotype and PFGE or similar test of the particular strain of the Salmonella.”
According to the CDC, there have been at least 19 hospitalizations (about one in five), making this a dangerous outbreak. Salmonella can also lead to life-long symptoms including post-infections Irritable Bowel Syndrome (PI-IBS) and post-infectious reactive arthritis (PI-RA).
According to the CDC, Northeast Seafood Products has been forced to recall a wide range of products, which hints of widespread contamination, including various packages of Haddock, Monkfish, Trout, Grouper, Red Snapper, Tilapia, Cod Perch, Halibut, Salmon, Sole, and Bass. And while a recall is helpful, many people might still have products in the refrigerator or freezer. Salmonella is not killed by freezing it.
