An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Portland, Oregon is associated with ground beef sold at meat counters in three New Seasons Market stores. Three people in the metro area are sick after eating New Seasons Market ground beef purchased at those outlets. All are recovering from their illness, according to a press release by the Oregon Health Authority. The company is also issuing a recall. The recalled fresh ground beef was sold at the company's North Lombard, North Interstate, and Cedar Hills store locations. The product comes in 5%, 10%, and 20% fat content varieties. The beef is ground at the stores before sale. The ground beef was purchased between October 19, 2019 and October 23, 2019. If you purchased these products, throw them away in a sealed container, even if you planned to cook … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak Associated With New Seasons Market Ground Beef in Portland, OR
Wild Ginger Restaurant Campylobacter Outbreak in Cortland, NY
The Cortland County Health Department has announced a Wild Ginger restaurant Campylobacter outbreak that has sickened seven people (it may be eight), according to news reports. Those sickened ate at that restaurant between October 18 and October 31, 2019. The Asian Fusion restaurant is located at 47 Main Street in Cortland, New York. All seven patients have lab confirmed infections. The testing is continuing, so there may be more illnesses announced. The Health Department has alerted health care providers in the area to be on the lookout for patients presenting with the symptoms of campylobacteriosis. Those symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Most people recover on their own after this infection, but some, especially people … [Read more...]
Mystery Deadly Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Ends With 24 Sick
The mystery deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that sickened 24 people in 13 states and caused two deaths has been declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with no resolution. The outbreak notice states, "A specific food item, grocery store, food processor, or restaurant chain was not identified as the source of infections in the United States." People who were sickened in this outbreak were sickened by a strain of Listeria bacteria that was closely related genetically to Listeria that made people sick in a Canadian outbreak. That Canadian outbreak was linked to recalled Rosemount frozen cooked chicken. The Listeria outbreak in Canada was deemed over on November 6, 2019. The case count by state is: California (4), Florida (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (4), … [Read more...]
Employees at the Kissimmee, FL Denny’s Restaurant Diagnosed With Hepatitis A
Employees at the Denny's restaurant located at 2051 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee, Florida have been diagnosed with hepatitis A, and may have worked while infectious, according to the Osceola County Health Department. Two people who worked there from October 14, 2019 though November 1, 2019 have been diagnosed with the viral illness. Anyone who ate or drank at this restaurant between October 24 and November 1, 2019 should get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination. These vaccines are effective if given within two weeks of exposure. Anyone who ate food or drank beverages at that store between October 14 and October 23, 2019 should watch their health for the symptoms of hepatitis A; it's too late for a vaccination. Those symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, … [Read more...]
With No Word on US Listeria Outbreak, Canada Declares Theirs Over
The Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in Canada that is linked to Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken has been declared over, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Meanwhile, there has been no word on the US Listeria outbreak, which was last updated by the CDC on August 23, 2019. That information is important, because according to the investigation announcement, the patients sickened in the US outbreak are sick with a type of Listeria monocytogenes that is closely related genetically to the bacteria that made people sick in Canada. In Canada, seven people are sick in three provinces. The case count by province is: British Columbia (1), Manitoba (1), and Ontario (5). Six of the seven Canadian patients have been hospitalized because they were so ill. The illness onset … [Read more...]
Somerville, NJ ShopRite Employee Diagnosed With Hepatitis A
A Somerville, New Jersey ShopRite employee has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Somerset County Health Department. That department, along with the New Jersey Department of Health and Wakefern Corporation, is working to notify shoppers of that market. The ShopRite store is located at 1 South Davenport Street in Somerville, New Jersey. The employee's infectious period was from October 13, 2019 to October 30, 2019. That means that anyone who who purchased items from the in-store deli or who used the restroom during that time frame may have been infected and should get the hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccine. Unfortunately, the vaccines are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure, which means that it's too late to get the shot for anyone who visited … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A in Employee at E & B Discount Grocery in Hattiesburg, MS
An employee at E & B Discount Grocery at 5395 Old Highway 42 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to a news release issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health. While infectious, that employee handled fresh produce and packaged smoked and uncooked meats. Anyone who bought those products between October 10 and October 24, 2019 may have been exposed to the virus. MSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said in a statement, "The risk of transmission of hepatitis A in this situation is likely very low. However, as a precaution, we recommend that anyone who purchased the listed products in this time period should consider getting a hepatitis A vaccination if they have not been previously immunized. The management and staff of E & B … [Read more...]
Deadly Salmonella Dublin Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef Sickens 10
A deadly Salmonella Dublin outbreak linked to ground beef has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 10 people in six states are sick. The announcement states, "Illnesses in this outbreak are more severe than expected for Salmonella. A total of 8 ill people were hospitalized, including one death reported from California." The case count by state is: California (2), Colorado (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (2), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (1). Illness onset dates range from August 8, 2019 to September 22, 2019. The patient age range is from 48 to 74 years. Eighty percent of patients are male. This hospitalization rate is more than four times higher than the typical 20% hospitalization rate for Salmonella outbreaks. In five of the patients, Salmonella was … [Read more...]
Pig Ear Dog Treats Salmonella Outbreak Ends With 154 Sick
The pig ear dog treats Salmonella outbreak has ended with 154 sick in 34 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both the CDC and FDA have dropped their warning for consumers to avoid buying or feeding any pig ear pet treats, except for those that are already recalled. The case count by state is: Alabama (1), Arizona (1), California (2), Colorado (3), Connecticut (1), Florida (3), Georgia (3), Hawaii (1), Illinois (10), Indiana (5), Iowa (24), Kansas (3), Kentucky (8), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (4), Michigan (17), Minnesota (1), Missouri (7), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (3), New York (16), North Carolina (2), North Dakota (1), Ohio (12), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (8), South Carolina (2), Texas (2), Utah (1), Virginia … [Read more...]
Don’t Drink Unpasteurized Juice For Food Safety Reasons
Fall is the season for fresh juices, including apple and grape juices. The FDA has tips for what you need to know about juice and food safety: namely, don't drink unpasteurized juice or cider. If you drink untreated, or unpasteurized, juices, you run the risk of contracting food poisoning. In fact, in 2015, E. coli bacteria in High Hill Ranch unpasteurized apple juice sickened seen people. And in 2013, a Cryptosporidium outbreak in Iowa linked to unpasteurized apple cider sickened 11 people. Any juice made from produce can be contaminated just like the fresh produce can be. Pasteurization kills pathogens, making the juices and ciders safe to drink. Most of the juice for sale in the U.S. is heat-treated to kill bacteria. But some grocery stores, health food stores, farmers' … [Read more...]
