Cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak over in U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially closed its investigation into a Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe consumption on Jan. 19, with inquiries continuing in Canada, Food Safety News reports.
The deadly outbreak, which was first reported Nov. 17, claimed the lives of six people in the U.S., leaving another 400 sick and stretching across 44 states.
Simultaneously, 164 Canadians were infected and seven people were killed by the outbreak. Most patients were younger than five years or 65 and older.
Whole Genome Sequencing analysis proved that the Canadian cases are genetically related to those infected in the U.S.
Related articles: Salmonella outbreak: Deaths rise to 8, cases reported in Canada
According to the CDC, it is likely that many more people were affected by the contaminated cantaloupe, but that most didn’t seek medical attention nor were tested for Salmonella infection.
Mexican Rudy and Malichita whole cantaloupe were initially identified as the main source of the contaminated fruit and were recalled. A full list of recalled produce can be found here.