Delaware children sickened in Tailor Cut Salmonella Javiana outbreak. The Delaware Division of Public Health has confirmed that 26 schoolchildren in Delaware are ill after eating fruit provided by Tailor Cut Produce. The sick children live in New Castle County, and attended schools served by the Red Clay Consolidated School District, Colonial School District, and the Community Education Building in downtown Wilmington. DPH was not able to confirm school information for seven of these children, except that they live in New Castle County.
This outbreak is associated with the multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak, also linked to Tailor Cut Produce fruit that has sickened at least 11 people in healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania, and one person in Minnesota. Pennsylvania says their case count is 33, but the CDC is only counting patients whose illnesses have been confirmed by whole genome sequencing (WGS).
The patient age range in Delaware is from 4 to 17. Illnesses started on dates ranging from the third week of November to the first week of December, 2019. There is no information about whether or not any of these children were hospitalized. In the Tailor Cut Produce outbreak in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, 80% of patients who were interviewed by public health officials were hospitalized.
Tailor Cut Produce issued a recall on December 7, 2019 of its Fruit Luau, cut honeydew, cut cantaloupe and cut pineapple products. The recalled fruit products were distributed to institutions such as healthcare facilities and schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware between November 15 and December 1, 2019.
The Delaware Public Health Office of Food Protection worked with distributors in Delaware to make sure that any facilities that may have received the recalled products were made aware of the recall. The shelf life of these potentially contaminated fruit products has expired, and the statement from Delaware explains that “any products of concern are no longer in circulation. It is likely that anyone who would have become ill from consuming any of the contaminated products linked to this outbreak would have already become ill.”
The statement goes on to say that “There is currently no ongoing risk to the children in these school districts due to the recalled fruit, and no risk to the general public as the recalled items were not sold in grocery stores.” More cases could be linked to this outbreak through whole genome sequencing.
You can contact lawyer Fred Pritzker and his team for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many people, including children, sickened with Salmonella infections said, “No child should get sick from eating contaminated prepared fruit. Most people don’t even associate these types of illnesses with ready-to-eat foods such as fruit salad.”
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include fever, nausea, vomiting, body aches, headache, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody. People usually start feeling sick 12 to 72 hours after eating food contaminated with the pathogen. Children under the age of 5, pregnant women, anyone over the age of 65, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to suffer serious complications from this infection.
Any parents who are concerned about this Tailor Cut Salmonella Javiana outbreak affecting their children should contact their healthcare provider. You should know that symptom of a Salmonella infection can mimic the flu. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned.
