A salmonella outbreak has spread to 25 states in the US and Washington, D.C. At least 162 people are sick and 54 have been hospitalised, health officials said on Wednesday.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cucumbers might have salmonella. A test found salmonella in cucumbers from Fresh Start Produce, leading to a recall of cucumbers sent to 14 states. These cucumbers might have been sent to more states or repackaged for other stores.
More tests are being done to confirm the link. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes deadly infections, especially in young children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. Healthy people with salmonella might have a fever, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. In rare cases, the infection can become very serious if it enters the bloodstream.
The illnesses started on March 11 and went on until mid-May. People affected live in Washington, D.C., and these states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The CDC and FDA are also looking into another salmonella outbreak with 158 cases in 23 states. They are trying to see if the two outbreaks are linked to the same food.
Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.3 million infections, 26,500 hospitalisations, and 420 deaths in the U.S. each year, mostly from food. People with severe symptoms should call their doctor. Most people get better without specific treatment and shouldn't take antibiotics, the CDC said.
The CDC advised people not to eat the recalled cucumbers and to wash any items or surfaces that touched the cucumbers with hot soapy water or use a dishwasher.
"If you recently purchased cucumbers and have them at home, you can check with the store where you purchased them to see if they were part of the recall. If you can't tell, do not eat them," the CDC said.
