The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDH) has issued an advisory concerning an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella in North Dakota that is unrelated to the ongoing Salmonella Poona Cucumber outbreak linked to Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce cucumbers imported from Baja California by the California company. This outbreak strain is Salmonella Thompson, and so far at least 22 victims have been identified as having Salmonella Thompson with the same genetic signature – 14 of these reside in Ward County, ND. But according to Laura Cronquist, a Division of Disease Control epidemiologist, even the residents who reside outside of Ward County reported having been in Ward County recently. She also noted that this investigation has been very difficult because no obvious common exposure has yet been identified. Cronquist stated: “One of the challenges is getting good histories from people. People can forget what or when they consume specific foods or drinks.”
The first victim was identified July 20th, with others associated with the same serotype since then. The NDDH is encouraging anyone with the symptoms of food poisoning to seek medical attention and report their illness. Epidemiologist Cronquist also recommends that victims look at any calendars they might have, checkbooks, credit card statements, or receipts they keep to identify any places they ate – this will help the health investigators to find out where the common link is.
To speak to a Salmonella Lawyer at Ron Simon & Associates for more information about the Ward County Salmonella Thompson Outbreak or any other food borne illness outbreak, call the Salmonella Claim Center at 1-888-335-4901.
