Amid battling the crisis of Coronavirus, there's another disease, Salmonella outbreak in parts of the US. Nearly 400 people have been affected in 34 states by Salmonella from mid-June to mid-July and the cause of the disease has been identified. It is red onions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning to people to not eat onions from Thomson International Inc or products made from these onions. They also include red, white, yellow and sweet varieties. These contaminated red onions from a supplier in California are the potential root cause of the recent outbreak. Earlier, the outbreak was linked to the consumption of Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal.

The cases are reported from the US and Canada. There are 396 illnesses and 59 hospitalizations in the US. Oregon is the most has reported 71 cases on Saturday. Canada has reported 114 cases of salmonella, with 16 hospitalised. Thomson has said that they have recalled all onions that were shipped since May 1 because of the risk of contamination. These onions were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants and retail stores across the US and in Canada.

The CDC has asked people to throw out the onions supplied by Thomson and just get rid of the onions if they do not know the source of it all. They have also included yellow and sweet onions as they could be contaminated with the bacteria as well. They have also asked to wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, refrigerator drawers, knives, and cutting boards. People have been advised to ask the shopkeepers whether the supply of onions is from Thomson International Inc in California.

Those who have reported sick had eaten raw onions in prepared foods like salads, sandwiches, wraps and dips. So at this point, one should completely avoid eating onions in any form. CDC has asked people to consult a doctor if they experience salmonella poisoning.

Symptoms of Salmonella and it is Dangerous?

As noted by the CDC symptoms of this illness include diarrhoea, fever, and stomach cramps. The pain can last for 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria. Most people can recover from home, unless they have a weaker immune system they have to hospitalised. No deaths have been reported yet because of the illness.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 02, 2020 09:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).