Sick with Salmonella?
Call (612) 337-6126
Elliot Olsen has regained millions of dollars for people sickened by Salmonella; he has four clients sickened in the recent Salmonella outbreak from contaminated eggs. If you or a family member became ill in this pre-cut melon outbreak, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation, or complete the following:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated statistics on the pre-cut melon outbreak sickening people with Salmonella, increasing the numbers to 70 ill and 34 hospitalized in seven states.
Ten more ill people from five states were added to the investigation since the initial announcement of the pre-cut melon outbreak on June 8. In addition, two additional states – Kentucky and Tennessee – reported ill people.
The most recent illnesses started June 3. No deaths have been reported.
Pre-cut melon outbreak: 22 states on recall list
The CDC update comes a day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the list of states potentially affected by the pre-cut melon outbreak to 22: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The pre-cut melon was produced by Caito Foods in Indianapolis and shipped in clear, plastic containers. The fruit products were sold by numerous retail outlets, including Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Pay Less Super Markets, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods/Amazon. The list of stores where the pre-cut melon products were sold can be found here.
The packages have a “best used by” date of June 16. The products were shipped by Caito Foods between April 17 and June 7.
People sickened by the pre-cut melon products said they ate pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon or a fruit mix that contained melon. Most victims purchased the pre-cut melon products at Walmart or Kroger outlets.
The FDA has advised consumers not to eat recalled pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, or fruit medley products containing any of these melons.
The CDC released updated statistics on the pre-cut melon outbreak sickening people with Salmonella, increasing the numbers to 70 people sickened and 34 hospitalized in seven states.
Pre-cut melon outbreak: other CDC statistics
Statistics from the CDC reveal that illnesses began on dates ranging from April 30 to June 3. Other statistics:
- An overwhelming majority of those sickened are female (67 percent).
- People who have been sickened range in age from less than 1 to 97.
- The median age of those sickened is 67.
Illnesses that occurred after June 3 might not have been reported yet because of the amount of time it takes from when a person becomes ill to when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to four weeks.
Pre-cut melon outbreak: Salmonella info
Salmonella bacteria produce an illness called salmonellosis, which affects the intestinal tract. Salmonellosis develops anywhere from 12 hours to 72 hours after eating food contaminated with Salmonella.
Salmonellosis symptoms, which can last as long as a week, generally include:
- diarrhea, which can become bloody
- abdominal cramps
- vomiting
- fever and chills.
Most people who contract salmonellosis recover without needing to seek medical attention. Diarrhea can become so severe, however, that hospitalization is required.
About 450 deaths a year
Salmonella bacteria sicken about 1.2 million Americans a year, according to the CDC. About 23,000 of those victims will need to be hospitalized, and 450 of them will die.
People most at risk for complications are children younger than 5, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.
Salmonellosis complications
When Salmonella bacteria enter the bloodstream, complications can occur. Those complications can include such diseases as:
- meningitis: an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
- endocarditis: an infection of the heart’s inner lining that usually involves the heart valves.
- osteomyelitis: a bone inflammation that generally targets the legs, arms, or spine.
- reactive arthritis, or Reiter’s syndrome: a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to a Salmonella infection in another part of the body.
