A Salmonella outbreak linked to certain whole and pre-cut cantaloupes has ended, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The outbreak was first declared in November of last year and resulted in more than 400 people across 44 states becoming sick after eating the tainted fruit. At least six people died. The cantaloupes were also sold in Canada, with 160 cases and seven deaths reported so far.
According to a Jan. 19 statement from the CDC, the outbreak in the United States has ended because the cantaloupes recalled in connection with the bacteria outbreak have passed their use-by dates and are no longer for sale. However, anyone who has doubts about their fruit is urged to throw it away.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses,” the CDC said.
“This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.”
The CDC’s data about the outbreak shows that illnesses caused by eating the salmonella infecting cantaloupes were often severe, with about 40 percent of people who became sick needing hospital care. Most illnesses from this Salmonella outbreak were reported between Oct. 15 and Dec. 25.
In the vast majority of cases, people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms start roughly six hours to six days after being exposed. The bacteria can be especially dangerous to young children, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems. People in these brackets can require medical treatment or hospitalization. However, most people should recover without treatment after four to seven days.
Lawsuits Filed Over Salmonella Infections
It’s unclear how the outbreak started, but Salmonella infections are usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs or egg products, or unpasteurized milk. Health officials estimate that the Salmonella bacteria causes approximately 1.35 million human infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths annually in the United States.
There continues to be legal fallout over illnesses linked to the melons. Last year, national food safety law firm Ron Simon & Associates filed at least five lawsuits on behalf of consumers who came down with severe cases of Salmonella after eating contaminated cantaloupes, including one complaint involving a baby in Florida who required hospital care.
In this photo illustration a cantaloupe is seen sliced open in Miami, Fla., on Sept. 29, 2011. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
While a third proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed over salmonella-tainted cantaloupes that have sickened people across Canada. Law firm Slater Vecchio says it has filed the lawsuit in British Columbia against a Mexican company which grew the cantaloupes and two U.S. food companies.
At the same, other Salmonella outbreaks are still ongoing. The Quaker Oats Company has added two dozen additional types of granola bars, cereals, and snack foods to a December recall over possible Salmonella contamination.
The CDC has also expanded its warning of Salmonella infection linked to recalled charcuterie meats sold across the country amid an increase in cases. At least 47 people across 22 states have become sick, with ten hospitalized so far.
