As of this week, 16 illnesses have been linked to ground beef sold at East Coast grocery stores, and health officials believe many more cases of Salmonella might also be linked to the product.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known cases range from April 27 to June 16 and they have been reported in four states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” said the CDC. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
Out of the 16 cases, six resulted in hospitalizations and none resulted in deaths. Out of 14 people interviewed, nine said they ate ground beef. All nine purchased it from ShopRite stores – seven said they purchased 80% lean ground beef products and two people reported purchasing ground beef products.
“Investigators are working to identify the source of the ground beef sick people ate in this outbreak,” said the CDC. In addition to the centers, regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are collecting data about the outbreak.
So far, investigators have found that the bacteria from the sick people’s samples is genetically closely related and that it is closely related to ground beef inspected in March. Also, they have not found signs of antibiotic resistance.
The CDC also offers other tips for avoiding Salmonella contamination when handling ground beef. These include cleaning utensils, keeping raw meat separate from other ingredients and more. For those who do get infected with Salmonella, symptoms can include diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees, excessive vomiting, and dehydration.
“Any ground beef can have germs, like Salmonella. Always cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees,” said the centers.
Related
Related
