The huge red onion Salmonella Newport outbreak has now sickened at least 869 people in 47 states. One hundred sixteen people have been hospitalized. Many primary and secondary recalls for the Thomson International onions, the brand the FDA believes is linked to this outbreak, have been issued in the past few weeks. The patient case count by state is: Alaska (15), Alabama (1), Arizona (35), Arkansas (2), California (115), Colorado (25), Connecticut (2), Delaware (2), Florida (5), Georgia (6), Hawaii (3), Idaho (34), Illinois (49), Indiana (3), Iowa (23), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Maine (5), Maryland (7), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (44), Minnesota (18), Mississippi (4), Missouri (10), Montana (63), Nebraska (10), Nevada (11), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (1), New … [Read more...]
Mystery Salmonella Newport Outbreak Sickens 212; 31 Hospitalizations
The mystery Salmonella Newport outbreak sickens 212 in 23 states with 31 hospitalized, according to an update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This outbreak is growing rapidly, with 87 new lab confirmed patients since the last update three days ago. And eight new states have been added to the case count: Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Maine, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Virginia. The case count by state is: Arizona (13), California (10), Florida (1), Idaho (5), Illinois (9), Iowa (10), Maine (2), Michigan (15), Minnesota (3), Missouri (3), Montana (11), Nebraska (5), North Carolina (3), North Dakota (3), Ohio (5), Oregon (51), South Dakota (6), Tennessee (2), Utah (40), Virginia (3), Washington (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (9). The illness onset … [Read more...]
Could the Oregon Salmonella Outbreak Be Part of Larger Outbreak?
Earlier this week we told you about and Oregon Salmonella outbreak that was potentially associated with Si Casa Flores restaurant in Grants Pass, Oregon. According to a report by KOBI5, the food and environmental tests did not find any of that pathogen. This could be because the food that caused the problem has been eaten or discarded, or that the ill persons have another potential source in common. The Josephine County Public Health Department also told that station that the outbreak could be part of a larger Salmonella Newport outbreak that has sickened at least 125 people in 15 states. Because the distribution of cases is so wide in the multistate outbreak, the odds are that a food item is the cause of the outbreak. People are sick in Oregon, Montana, Utah, California, North … [Read more...]
Unidentified Salmonella Newport Outbreak Sickens 125 in 15 States
An unidentified Salmonella Newport outbreak has sickened at least 125 people in 15 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. This is the way foodborne illness outbreaks sometimes start; the government publicizes it, and more people come forward who may have information that helps solve it. The case count by state is: California (3) Illinois (1), Iowa (3), Michigan (12), Minnesota (3), Missouri (2), Montana (11), North Carolina (3), Ohio (5), Oregon (42), Tennessee (1), Utah (28), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and Wyoming (9). Illness onset dates range from June 19, 2020 to July 7, 2020. The patient age range is from 2 to 92 years. Of 72 ill persons who have provided information to … [Read more...]
Clover Sprouts E. coli O103 Hits Utah Hard With Most Illnesses of Any State
The outbreak of clover sprouts E. coli O103 hits Utah hard with the most illnesses of any state. At least 27 people are sick in Utah as of March 19, 2020. There are 39 people sickened in the entire outbreak. Public health officials say that epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory evidence has found that raw clover sprouts are the source of this outbreak. No official has offered an explanation of why the number of ill persons in Utah exploded from 3 to 27 in just a few weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants in Utah, as well as other states, may have made people sick. In interviews, 58% of ill persons said that ate sprouts at a Jimmy John's restaurant the week before they got sick. A recall of Chicago … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs In On E. coli O103 Clover Sprouts Outbreak WIth 39 Sick
The FDA has weighed in on the E. coli O103 clover sprouts outbreak that has sickened 39 people in 6 states. Two possible sources of these raw sprouts have been identified: Jimmy John's restaurants and Chicago Indoor Garden. Chicago Indoor Garden recalled their products containing sprouts earlier this week after FDA analysis found the presence of the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 on the sprouts. The sample also matches the outbreak strain from the November through December 2019 E. coli O103 outbreak in Iowa. That outbreak was associated with sprouts from various Jimmy John's restaurants in the state. FDA traceback investigation found that a common seed lot was used to grow the recalled Chicago Indoor Garden clover sprouts, and also the sprouts served at some Jimmy John's … [Read more...]
Clover Sprouts E. coli O103 Outbreak Updated: 39 Sick, 2 Hospitalized
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the clover sprouts E. coli O103 outbreak that is associated with Jimmy John's restaurants and Chicago Indoor Garden raw clover sprouts. Since the last update on February 26, 2020, 25 more patients who live in two states have been identified. Twenty-four of the new patients live in Utah, and Florida has been added to the state count. The patient case count by state is: Florida (1), Illinois (6), Iowa (3), Missouri (1), Texas (1), and Utah (27). Illness onset dates range from January 6, 2020 to March 2, 2020. Two people have been hospitalized because they are so ill. The patient age range is from 1 to 79 years. This outbreak may continue to grow, since it can take up to a month from when a person gets sick to when their … [Read more...]
New Jimmy John’s E. coli O103 Outbreak Sickens People in IA, IL, MO, TX, and UT
A new Jimmy John's E. coli O103 outbreak that has sickened at least 14 people in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Utah was just announced by Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA. And yes, it is linked to clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants in those states. This is a different outbreak from the one that was announced in December 2019 that has sickened 22 people in Iowa alone, and about which the FDA sent a warning letter to Jimmy John's and Sprouts Unlimited this week. Yiannas said, "These 14 new cases are not associated with the warning letter that the FDA issued to the company yesterday, but they do underscore the seriousness of the issue as we work with Jimmy John's to prevent outbreaks like these in the future." The case … [Read more...]
Utah STEC Outbreak Investigated; Petting Zoos and Farms Studied
Public health officials in Utah are investigating an increase in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections (STEC) in that state, according to the Utah Department of Health. The source of this Utah STEC outbreak has not been identified, but some patients said they visited farms, corn mazes, and petting zoos before they got sick. This is nothing new. In the past few years, there have been several E. coli outbreaks linked to those types of attractions. Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker warned the public years ago about the potential danger at agricultural tourism venues. Ruminant animals, such as goats and cows, carry E. coli and other pathogenic bacteria in their intestines, and those animals do not get sick. The bacteria are shed in the animal's feces, which can then contaminate … [Read more...]
Customers at The New Yorker Restaurant in Salt Lake City Exposed to Hepatitis A
According to news reports, hundreds of customers at The New Yorker Restaurant at 60 West Market Street in Salt Lake City, Utah may have been exposed to hepatitis A. An ill worker "potentially handled certain food or beverage items," from July 25 through August 15, 2018 at the restaurant. About 650 people may be at risk for this illness. Unfortunately, that time frame is outside the two week window where a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination is effective. August 15, 2018 was almost four weeks ago. The vaccine only works when given within fourteen days of exposure. All patrons of that restaurant can do now is monitor themselves for the symptoms of hepatitis A. Those symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, pain in … [Read more...]
