Trending

CDC: Salmonella outbreak expands to 35 states; source remains unknown

By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

The source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people across 35 states continues to elude health officials two months after the first case was confirmed.

>> Read more trending news

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which continues to investigate the burst of cases, confirmed Thursday that a total of 419 cases have been diagnosed to date, resulting in 66 hospitalizations but no deaths. By contrast, only 127 cases in 27 cases had been confirmed on Sept. 21, figures that increased to 279 cases across 29 states with 26 hospitalizations only two days later.

>> Related: CDC investigating multi-state salmonella outbreak

Per the CDC’s Thursday update, the states affected and case counts are as follows:

  • Texas: 111
  • Oklahoma: 63
  • Virginia: 38
  • Illinois: 28
  • Maryland: 22
  • Minnesota: 20
  • Massachusetts and Wisconsin: 10 each
  • Kansas and Kentucky: 9 each
  • Arkansas and New Mexico: 8 each
  • South Dakota and North Carolina: 7 each
  • California, Michigan and Nebraska: 6 each
  • Florida, Missouri and New Jersey: 5 each
  • Connecticut, Louisiana and Pennsylvania: 4 each
  • New York: 3
  • Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah: 2 each
  • Alabama, Indiana, Iowa and Oregon: 1 each

The agency cautioned, however, that the outbreak may not be limited to the itemized states because “many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella.”

To date, those sickened range in age from less than 1 year to 91 years, with a median age of 37, and 56% are female, the CDC stated.

According to the agency, most people who contract salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, with symptoms typically beginning between six hours and six days after swallowing the bacteria. Although the majority of those who fall ill usually recover without treatment after four to seven days, children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and immunocompromised people may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.

Click here to see the CDC’s state-by-state distribution of cases.

©2021 Cox Media Group

Most Read