It started with Canada identifying an outbreak of salmonella, and tracing it to Cantaloupes. Soon thereafter, state and local authorities identified illnesses in the U.S. that linked to the same bacteria, a serotype of Salmonella with a particular genetic make-up. Authorities then conducted the standard food consumption questionnaires that are routinely used in food borne illness outbreaks, and like Canada, identified cantaloupe as the primary culprit. as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose, it became increasingly obvious that the salmonella outbreak was linked to consumption of cantaloupe and a number of recalls were issued.
The official count is now 99, but the unofficial count exceeds 2000 as of now, and will likley grow. Local reports show at least 4 sick in Wisconsin, with two requiring hospitalization. In Texas, another outbreak cluster is growing, prompting numerous recalls in there. At least 32 states are now affected, but again that number is likely to continue to grow.-The victims, so far, are from AR, AZ, CA, CO, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI.
45 Hospitalizations and Two Deaths have been recorded.
One Cantaloupe Salmonella Lawyer who has recently filed a number of lawsuits warns: “these sorts of Salmonella outbreaks are always changing, and growing in size and impact. Local and state health agencies are just getting on board with looking for additional victims, and hence we anticipate the number of victims, hospitalizations, to increase. There is also the tragic possibility there will be another fatality in this outbreak.”
According to the FDA, retail stores in AZ, CA, MD, NJ, TN, IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, OK, WI, TX, FL, and Canada sold the contaminated cantaloupes. The cantaloupes were sourced from either Crown Jewels Produce in boxes labeled “Malachita/Z Farms” or from Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh in boxes labeled “Malichita” or “Rudy.”
The states were MOST of the victims are, include Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Ohio, with most states having only identified their first victim. Now that physicians, hospitals and health agencies know what they are looking for, those numbers will likely increase.
