Five More Significant Outbreaks in 2024

There were so many notable food poisoning outbreaks this year that we decided to add a list of five more significant outbreaks of 2024. These outbreaks are notable because people died, because the situation was so unusual, or because the vehicle for the pathogen was unusual.

Grimmway Farms Carrot E. coli O121:H9 Outbreak

One person died in this outbreak that was linked to recalled Grimmway Farms carrots. The carrots were contaminated with E. coli O121;H9 bacteria. There were 48 people sick in 19 states and twenty people were hospitalized.

The case count by state was: Arkansas (1), California (3), Colorado (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (5), Missouri (1), New Jersey (2), New York (5), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (2), Texas (1), Virginia (1), Washington (8), and Wyoming (1). Illness onset dates ranged from September 6, 2024 to October 28, 2024. The patient age range is from 1 to 75 years. The person who died lived in California. One person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.

Infinite Herbs Salmonella Outbreak

This outbreak sickened at least 36 people in 14 states in the summer of 2024. The basil was organically grown. There were four people hospitalized.

The patient case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Florida (7), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Kansas (1), Massachusetts (5), Michigan (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (2), New Jersey (1), North Carolina (1), Rhode Island (2), Texas (1), and Wisconsin (3). Illness onset dates range from February 11, 2024 to May 26, 2024. The patient age range is from one to 78 years.

Rico Lopez Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak

This deadly outbreak sickened at least 26 people in 11 states. There were 23 hospitalizations, and two people died. Many secondary recalls were issued in the wake of this outbreak.

Some of the recalled items include meal kits, yogurt, and crema. Stores where these products were sold included: Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Carrs-Safeway, Costco, Eagle, Lucky, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Save Mart, Shaw’s, Sprouts (S&S), Star Market, Stater Bros. Markets, Tom Thumb, and Vons. The products were sold nationwide.

The case count by state was: Arizona (4), California (8), Florida (1), Georgia (1), North Carolina (1), Nevada (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (2), and Washington (1). The patients who died lived in California and Texas. The patient age range was from less than one to 88 years. Illness onset dates range from June 15, 2014 to December 10, 2023. The people who died lived in California and Texas. Illness onset dates ranged from June 15, 2014 to December 10, 2023. And in this outbreak, two people got sick during pregnancy and one person suffered a pregnancy loss.

Yu Shang Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak

This deadly outbreak has sickened at least 19 people in eight states and has killed two. A recall for ready to eat Yu Shang frozen foods was issued and the recall was expanded.

The case count by state is: California (10), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Nevada (1), New Jersey (1), New York (1), Oregon (1), and Tennessee (2).  The new states are Georgia, Nevada, Oregon, and Tennessee. The patient age range is from less than one to 86 years. All of the patients are Asian. Of 19 people who gave information to public health investigators, 17, or 89%, have been hospitalized. Sick person’s samples were collected from October 24, 2021, to October 28, 2024.

Seven illnesses are related to pregnancy. One person who was pregnant got sick and recovered. Two unrelated infants were also sickened and recovered. In California, a mother and her twins were sick and both infants died. Listeria monocytogenes was found in a sample from the mother and one of the infants, but couldn’t be found in the other infant. So only the mother and one twin were included in the confirmed case count. In Tennessee, a mother and her infant got sick and the infant died.

Gibson Farms Walnuts E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

In the summer of 2024 an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to recalled organic Gibson Farms bulk walnuts sickened at least 13 people in two states: California and Washington. Seven people were hospitalized. And two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.

The walnuts were sold at natural food and co-op stores in these states:  Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The walnuts may have had the lot codes 3325-043 and 3341-501.

If you have been sickened with a food poisoning 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 in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors, and families in wrongful death cases.