A Salmonella outbreak on the Shenandoah schooner in Tisbury, Massachusetts has sickened 11 children, according to the MV Times. The schooner is used as part of the Tisbury’s school youth voyage programs. All of the sick children were on the same schooner.
There were 22 children on the trip, and about half of them got sick. The trip took place from June 27 to July 2, 2022. The outbreak was announced during a Tisbury board of health meeting on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The assistant health agent, Catherine Blake, said she was “not made aware” of the situation until July 8.
There was no food protection manager on board the Shenandoah schooner, although three staff members were U.S. Coast Guard certified food handlers, and two staff members had ServeSafe certification for food allergens. Several vendors served food on the schooner, and all of the food has been discarded, so there was none available for testing. The water on the boat is currently being tested.
According to Tisbury health agent Maura Valley, there were three confirmed cases. Those were the only children who were tested. The hospital allegedly told her “We’re not going to test, we’re going to assume.”
Food Safety Attorney and Food Poisoning Bulletin Publisher Eric Hageman
Noted food safety attorney Eric Hageman, who has represented many clients sickened by this pathogen, said, “No child should ever get sick at a school event. It’s always distressing when young children contract these types of infections.”
Salmonella food poisoning can be serious in younger children. There is no word on whether any child was hospitalized, and we also don’t know the exact ages of the children who were sick. According to the school’s page on the FUEL program, the age range is from 9 to 17, or 4th to 12th grade.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection can include a fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach and abdominal pain, and diarrhea that can be bloody. Even after a patient completely recovers, there can be long term health complications from this illness, including high blood pressure, myocarditis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
If your child has been sickened with a Salmonella infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients and the families of clients in lawsuits.
