New York, December 10: An outbreak of salmonella linked to whole and pre-cut cantaloupe products has killed three people in the US and five in Canada as health officials in both countries sound medical alert. As per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the most recent illness outbreak began on November 20. The CDC, the FDA and Canada are looking into the outbreak to find other tainted fruit.

As per the CNN report, at least 230 people fell ill after eating the melons affected in the 38 US states. Of those who became sick, at least 96 have been hospitalised. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, six provinces have reported 129 salmonella infections, with five fatalities. Most cases involve children under five or seniors over 65 exposed to communal care, such as daycare or nursing homes. Bird Flu Outbreak in US: Cat Dies of H5N1 Avian Influenza, Number of Infected Cats Reaches Six.

What is Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupe

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. Symptoms typically start six hours to six days after someone swallows the bacteria. The health experts advised to seek medical attention after developing a high fever, diarrhoea that won’t go away, bloody diarrhoea, and vomiting after eating the fruit.

Salmonella can affect anyone, but some groups are more at risk of serious illness, such as seniors, pregnant women, kids and those with weak immunity. The bacteria is common and causes over a million infections and 26,500 hospital stays in the US yearly, per the CDC. These infections are also expensive. They cost the US $4.1 billion a year, per the USDA. Malaria Outbreak Fears: US CDC Issues Health Alert After Five Cases Reported in Texas, Florida.

The report added that the affected fruit comes from Mexico and is sold under Rudy and Malichita. It has been distributed to various stores, including Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, KwikTrip, RaceTrac, Aldi, Walmart and Vinyard. The CDC advises consumers not to eat any pre-cut cantaloupes unless they are sure they are not from Rudy or Malichita brands. This applies to fruit salads and cantaloupe pieces at grocery stores and restaurants. The CDC has recommended businesses to stop selling the tainted fruit and to sanitise anything that has come into contact with it.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2023 05:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).