Life-threatening regional outbreak upgraded to ‘urgent’ nationwide alert as people become sickened with multiple deadly pathogens
A foodborne outbreak that was previously thought to be confined to just a handful of states has now been detected in more than dozen.
On Thursday, Wisconsin officials identified alfalfa sprouts as the source of a simultaneous outbreak of both salmonella and E.coli.
The Department of Health Services reported 17 illnesses and one hospitalization in the state, along with 23 cases in neighboring Minnesota.
The outbreak appeared to be regional and was not listed on the CDC’s national outbreak web page.
However, on Friday, the CDC issued an ‘urgent’ food safety alert, saying illnesses linked back to the sprouts have now been reported in 15 states and cases stand at 55.
There are four hospitalizations.
Of the 55 cases, two people have contracted both salmonella and E.coli.
The outbreak is connected to sprouts distributed to restaurants and stores from Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.
On Thursday, Wisconsin officials identified alfalfa sprouts as the source of a simultaneous outbreak of both salmonella and E.coli (stock image)
The above map shows where people have been sickened in connection to alfalfa sprouts
Officials are advising Americans to check their homes for the affected alfalfa sprouts and to immediately throw them away.
The products should not be consumed and those who may have eaten them should monitor for symptoms of E.coli and salmonella, which include diarrhea – sometimes bloody – stomach cramps and a low fever.
If symptoms become severe, patients should seek medical attention right away.
Adding the outbreak to the list, there are now currently at least four salmonella outbreaks and two E.coli outbreaks being tracked by the CDC or the FDA, along with the nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to shredded iceberg lettuce.
One of the salmonella outbreaks has been traced to jalapenos, one to turtles and one to shelled eggs.
The E.coli outbreak has been linked to frozen blueberries.
At least 431 people have been sickened by jalapenos, including 57 who have been hospitalized, across 32 states.
No deaths have been reported in connection with that outbreak.
Eight people, including three hospitalized, across six states have been sickened in the outbreak linked to turtles.
Lastly, 98 people, including 26 hospitalized, have been sickened by salmonella in the outbreak linked to shelled eggs. Illnesses span 17 states and no deaths have been recorded.
In the E.coli outbreak linked to frozen blueberries, there have been 12 cases, four hospitalizations and no deaths across two states.
Meanwhile, the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak has sickened nearly 16,000 people and killed two across 47 states.
While federal officials blame the outbreak on iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico – which has now been halted – and assure Americans the vegetable is now safe to eat, testing has failed to return a positive result of the cyclospora parasite on any samples from the supplier.
