A Broome County jail Salmonella outbreak has sickened at least 300 inmates, according to a press release issued by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. On Monday, May 25, 2026, incarcerated people at the correctional facility started having symptoms of nausea’s vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. The facility is located in Dickinson, New York.
Initially, officials thought that the outbreak was caused by norovirus, but test results that came back on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 showed that the outbreak was caused by Salmonella bacteria.
Correctional Facility medical and housing staff are treating and assisting those experiencing symptoms and preventing dehydration. High risk patients will be receiving antibiotics as needed under the direction of the Department of Health and the facility medical provider.
The facility has been working with the Broome County Health Department, the New York State Department of Health, and Trinity Services Group, which provides food to the jail, to investigate and test for all possible sources of the pathogen.
A full inspection of the kitchen was conducted by the Department of Health on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in response to the illnesses. No major violations were found within the facility, equipment, or food preparation areas. A sample of all of the meals served at the facility was wrapped, refrigerated, and stored for five days in case of possible contamination. Meals served on the days before illnesses were reported are being tested.
Food supplies on site that were used before illness began are being held for testing. All food currently being served at the facility that arrived and was prepared before illnesses were reported has been identified. The facility is undergoing a deep and steady cleaning on any exposed surfaces or areas within the jail. In addition, surveys of all of the incarcerated people will be conducted to help determine exposure.
Olivia Catalano, Director of Public Health at the Broome County Health Department, said in a statement, “Now that our PCR tests have confirmed Salmonella, we’re confident with our course of treatment for all individuals experiencing these symptoms. Now we’re making every effort to find the cause of the bacteria and manage the situation in a coordinated effort with our agency partners.”
Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar added, “Our focus remains on the health and safety of all those living and working within the Broome County Correctional Facility. We are taking every precaution to ensure the quality and safety of the food served at the facility, to treat those experiencing symptoms and to identify when and where this contamination entered our facility.”
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