A Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-four people in 13 states are sick. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized, and two people have died. The patient case count by state is: California (4), Florida (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (4), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (3), New York (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (2), and Texas (1). Listeria specimens were collected from patients from July 20, 2017 to August 1, 2019. The patient age range is from 35 to 92 years. This is a strange outbreak announcement, because the notice states that "A specific food item, grocery store, or restaurant chain has not been identified as the source of infections in the United States." This is very unusual. In … [Read more...]
Now 69 Sick With E. coli After Swimming at Lake Nokomis
Now 69 people have been diagnosed with E. coli infections after swimming at Minneapolis's Lake Nokomis, according to news reports. That's an increase of 20 more cases since the last report by the Minnesota Department of Health on August 16, 2019. Minnesota officials did say they thought the case count would increase because when they released information about this outbreak, more people would recognize their symptoms, see a doctor, and be tested for the pathogen. E. coli is a reportable illness. All of the patients got sick after they swam at the lake between July 16 and August 11, 2019. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board said that the Lake Nokomis beaches will be closed for the rest of the season. In addition, nearby Wirth Beach has had to close. That is the fourth … [Read more...]
Basil Cyclospora Outbreak Has Sickened 205 in 11 States
The FDA has updated the basil cyclospora outbreak that has now sickened at least 205 people in 11 states. That's an increase of 73 patients since the last update which was posted on July 25, 2019. Five people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The basil in question is imported from Mexico by Siga Logistics de RL de CV from Morelos. That facility recalled basil on July 24, 2019. Consumers should not buy, eat, or serve any fresh basil imported by Siga Logistics. Do not eat or serve uncooked items such as pesto or salad that may include basil imported from Mexico, unless you are absolutely certain it was not imported by Siga Logistics. If you don't know where the basil you want to use came from, don't use it. The last illness onset in this cyclosporiasis outbreak … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak at Mendham Golf and Tennis Club in New Jersey
A hepatitis A outbreak has sickened 23 people after they visited the Mendham Golf and Tennis Club in Mendham Township, New Jersey. This is a members only club. A food handler was diagnosed with hepatitis A and worked at the club while infectious. One person is "seriously ill," according to the press release by the New Jersey Department of Health. The food handler was excluded from work, and the remaining workers were reviewed for vaccination and proof of immunity from the virus. Close contacts of the food handler were given vaccinations. MGTC notified their members of the risk on July 5, 2019. That notification advices the members to inform anyone who ate with them at the club, and told them to get vaccinations. The food worker was at the club from June 9 and June 30, … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak Closes MN Lake Nokomis Beaches; Three Children Sick
Beaches at Lake Nokomis, which is in Minneapolis, have been closed after three children who swam there around the same time have contracted E. coli infections, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The bacteria is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Officials with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board closed the beaches immediately after they were notified by MDH. The children got sick between August 2 and August 5, 2019, after swimming at Lake Nokomis between July 26 and August 2, 2019. None of the children have been hospitalized. Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura said in a statement, "This is the first report of people getting ill from swimming in Minneapolis lakes we have had in more than two decades. We take this news very seriously … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak at Brixx and Barley Restaurant in Long Beach, NY
A Salmonella outbreak at the Brixx and Barley Restaurant in Long Beach, New York has sickened people. There was no mention of patient numbers, age ranges, or all of the illness onset dates in the statement by the Nassau County Department of Health. We don't know whether or not any patients have been hospitalized. And there is no mention of a possible food source that is being investigated. The Brixx and Barley restaurant has been closed by the Department of health while the investigation is conducted. The restaurant is located at 152 West Park Avenue in Long Beach. Officials think that this outbreak could date back to early July 2019. Salmonella outbreaks at restaurants in the past have been linked to tomatoes, raw tuna, and eggs. The foods that are most often associated with … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Outbreak Associated With Workplace Cafeterias in Central Virginia
A cyclospora outbreak that is associated with three workplace cafeterias has sickened people in central Virginia, according to a news release by the Virginia Department of Health. A food or water source of these cyclosporiasis outbreaks has not been identified by public health officials. The press release states that workplace cafeterias in the following locations are part of the online investigation: Capital One Building at 1600 Capital One Drive in McLean, Virginia; Valo Park Building at 7950 Jones Branch Drive in McLean, Virginia; and CarMax at 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway in Richmond, Virginia. These cafeterias are not "widely accessible" to the general public. Officials are working with the business owners to try to solve this outbreak. There are 39 confirmed cases of … [Read more...]
Cooper’s Hawk Cyclospora Outbreak Sickens 80 to 100
The Cooper's Hawk cyclospora outbreak has sickened 80 to 100 people in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Officials have not yet identified a specific food or beverage that may have caused this outbreak, but there is a current multistate cyclospora outbreak that is linked to basil imported from Mexico. There are at least 132 people sick in 11 states in that outbreak. And there is a cyclospora outbreak in Minnesota, with at least 35 people sick, that is associated with three restaurants in that state. Just in the last three months, 580 people in the United States have been sickened with cyclosporiasis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Florida is just one of the 32 states with patients. These illnesses have occurred every summer in this country for … [Read more...]
No Answers To Deadly San Diego E. coli Outbreak at County Fair
The San Diego Health & Human Services Agency has released a report stating that they were not able to find answers to the deadly San Diego E. coli outbreak that sickened people who visited the county fair in June 2019. The outbreak was first reported on June 28, 2019, with four pediatric cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections. As of July 31, 2019, there are 11 confirmed cases and 2 probable cases in this outbreak. Three people were hospitalized because they were so sick, and one child has died. The outbreak was caused by a specific strain of E. coli O157:H7. After the outbreak, visits to the animal exhibits at the fair were restricted. The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health inspectors conducted investigations at the food booths that were visited by … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Listeria in Some Brands of Leafy Greens
Consumer Reports finds Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in both bulk and bagged prewashed lettuce. This disturbing discovery highlights the fact that leafy greens have been the source of many serious multistate food poisoning outbreaks in the last few years. Researchers at the company purchased 284 samples of fresh greens at several grocery store chains, including Hannaford, Whole Foods, and Costco. The samples included lettuce, spinach, and kale. The company found six leafy greens samples that were tainted with Listeria monocytogenes. Two specific products that tested positive for the pathogen were packaged, prewashed greens made of spinach, and an organic spinach-spring mix. The remaining four products were loose heads or bunches of green kale, green leaf lettuce, spinach, and … [Read more...]
