The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has increased the number of cases in a salmonella outbreak that hasn’t been traced to a source, and Canada is also reporting cases.
From July 21 to July 23, the CDC reported cases rose by 87, to 213 people in 23 states have been confirmed with Salmonella Newport. Illness onsets range from June 19 to July 11.
The Public Health Agency of Canada on July 24 reported 59 cases in five provinces. Health agencies in the two countries are collaborating in the investigation, but no food has been identified as the source, and federal officials are not advising consumers to avoid any type of food.
The CDC’s PulseNet, which helps health officials detect illness outbreaks, first identified cases in the outbreak on July 10, and numbers have grown rapidly, according to the CDC. A specific food, grocery store or restaurant has not been identified as the source.
“State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures in the week before their illness started,” according to the CDC’s July 23 notice. “CDC encourages people experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection to report their illness to their local health department and participate in these interviews. This information is vital for public health officials to identify the source of this outbreak and to take steps to prevent additional illnesses.”
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