CDC Says Salmonella Outbreak Affecting 25 States, Including MA

Here's some scary news to digest(no pun intended). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 127 people have been infected amid an outbreak of Salmonella across 25 states since early August. Eighteen people have been hospitalized.

The Boston Globe reports between August 3 and September 15, according to the CDC, 127 people have been infected with Salmonella. That includes 7 people in Massachusetts. Even more troubling, the source of the outbreak has not been identified yet, although the CDC is investigating.

While the majority of the illnesses were reported in Texas, many were also reported in the Northeast. Out of the 127 cases, 45 of them were in Texas alone. The only other New England state outside of Massachusetts to report any cases was Connecticut which has reported 3 cases so far.

Some of the other states being hit by the Salmonella outbreak include New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Keep in mind that some recent cases may not have made the data yet. The CDC says it can take approximately 3 to 4 weeks to determine if someone is part of an outbreak.

As part of a media statement regarding the outbreak, the CDC said:

Several groups of people (‘subclusters’) at restaurants in multiple states have been identified. These subclusters are groups of people who do not know one another who ate at the same restaurant and got sick. Investigating these subclusters can sometimes help identify a food item eaten by all of the sick people that could be the source of the outbreak.

Some of the symptoms of Salmonella include fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps between six hours and six days after ingesting the bacteria. Recovery time is usually between 4 to 7 days. The CDC urges anyone who believes they may be infected to contact their healthcare provider.

It's also a good idea to try and remember anything you had to eat the week prior to getting sick. For more on the story, check out the Boston Globe's website here.