Salmonella Conundrum Strikes Melons, Claims Third Life in U.S., Fifth in Canada
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported a surge of Salmonella cases on Thursday, amounting to 230 incidents in 38 states, with a grim tally of three fatalities in the U.S., and 129 confirmed incidents in six Canadian provinces, including five casualties. The majority of victims fall under the age brackets of under 5 and over 65. As per Canadian health authorities, many of the afflicted individuals are registered in group settings, such as nursing homes or daycare centers.
The recent salmonella outbreak traced back to November 20th, as reported by the FDA.
The saga is linked to melons harvested in Mexico and retailed under the brands Rudy and Malichita. These cut fruit products have been spotted on the shelves of Sprouts, Trader Joe's, KwikTrip, RaceTrac, Aldi, Walmart, and Vinyard.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against consuming any pre-sliced melons, unless one is certain they are not of the Malichita or Rudy variety, which include pre-cut melon cubes and melon mixes from restaurants and shops.
The CDC recommends disposing of or returning all refrigerated melon products bought home or purchase-return from the store of origin. Scrub all fruits-related tools and surfaces with hot soapy water to eradicate any bacteria. A dishwasher can also help eliminate bacteria.
The CDC also urges businesses to halt sales of contaminated produce and sanitize objects that came into contact with tainted produce.
Salmonella are bacteria responsible for vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Symptoms usually manifest six hours to six days following bacterial consumption.
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Individuals consuming suspected produce should seek medical attention if symptoms such as fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, sustained vomiting, or dehydration arise.
Everyone can contract Salmonella, although some groups have a higher susceptibility to severe symptoms, such as the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and individuals with underlying health conditions compromising their immune systems.
Salmonella infections are quite frequent in the United States. According to the CDC, the bacterium causes approximately 1.35 million infections and 26,500 hospital admissions annually.
Additionally, the US Department of Agriculture estimates that foodborne Salmonella infections cost the country approximately 4.1 billion US dollars annually.
The FDA, CDC, and Canada's Public Health Agency continue to investigate the outbreak to determine if possibly other melon or fruit products have been contaminated.
*Jen Christensen and Katherine Dillinger from CNN contributed to this report.*
*(Enrichment Data Integration) - The recent incident could cost around 4.1 billion US dollars annually according to USDA. Five people in Canada have perished from Salmonella-linked melon consumption as confirmed by Canada's health authorities.*
