Dozens sickened at Walmart distribution center with ‘possible food-related illness’
Dozens of workers have been sickened in a suspected food poisoning outbreak at a Walmart warehouse that ships goods across the country.
Emergency services were called to the giant distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee, late Thursday after receiving reports of a ‘female experiencing symptoms of a possible food-related illness,’ a statement from local emergency services said.
Upon arrival, however, they found so many staff were sick that they had to call for backup.
In total, 19 workers were taken to the hospital, while 25 to 30 patients received treatment at the distribution center. No deaths were reported and emergency services said they remained on site until Friday morning.
Officials have not said what led to the sicknesses, but local media reports that the illnesses are suspected to be related to food poisoning.
A spokesperson for Walmart said in a statement to the Daily Mail: ‘The health and safety of our associates is a top priority.
‘We’re working with local emergency management and health officials as they investigate.’
They added that customers were not thought to be at risk.
Shown above is the Walmart distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee, at the center of the foodborne disease outbreak fears
The Walmart center in Tennessee, where the sicknesses were recorded, is one of the chain’s largest, covering 925,000sq ft – about the size of 16 American football fields.
It is a fulfilment center, according to the company’s website, and is used to hold millions of items from Walmart’s inventory that are then packaged and shipped directly to consumers who place online orders. It is not clear whether it also distributes food items.
It employs about 300 people, with most of the preparation of parcels for delivery done by robots.
The Wilson County Emergency Management Agency, based in Lebanon, reported the sicknesses in a statement sent to WKRN.
No further details have been revealed, including how the workers were sickened or what may have caused the sicknesses.
A spokesperson for Marler Clark, a food safety law firm, said in a statement posted online that the report appeared to describe a ‘workplace cluster, sudden onset over a few overnight hours and predominantly vomiting.’
They suggested two theories for what may have caused the sicknesses.
One was that the illnesses could be linked to Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium found on the skin and noses of one in four people. It can contaminate food if it is touched by people who have not washed their hands.
A spokesperson for Walmart said the cases did not pose a risk to consumers (stock image)
In food, the bacterium can release sickness-causing toxins, which trigger symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea within eight hours of exposure. The illness normally clears within 24 hours and is rarely severe.
They also suggested the sicknesses could be due to norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne illness and vomiting and diarrhea in the US.
Norovirus is highly contagious and spreads via contact with a contaminated surface or food, which can become contaminated if it is prepared by someone who is sick.
Symptoms begin within 12 to 24 hours of exposure and last for two weeks. An infection is rarely severe.
It is not clear what has caused the illnesses, and no official sources have linked either S. aureus or norovirus to the cases at this time.
No information was available on how patients were treated, but treatments for foodborne illness include bed rest, antibiotics and, in serious cases, an IV drip to replace lost fluids and prevent dehydration.
About 48 million people are sickened by foodborne illnesses in the US every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Of these, an estimated 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from the disease.
Norovirus is the top cause of the sicknesses, followed by Campylobacter, a bacterium spread by raw or undercooked poultry that causes diarrhea, Salmonella, toxin-producing E. coli and Listeria.
