Cantaloupes are being recalled and pulled from grocery store shelves over a deadly salmonella outbreak that left two dead and 99 infected over the weekend.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 45 of those infected have been hospitalized since November 24.
Cantaloupes included in the advisory are as follows, per Fox News:
- Whole cantaloupes (might have a sticker that says “Malichita” or “Rudy,” with the number “4050”, and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique”)
- Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupes (includes cantaloupe cubes, melon medleys and fruit medleys), which were sold in Oklahoma stores between Oct. 30 and Nov. 10
- ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products, with best-by dates between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31 (sold in ALDI stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin)
- Freshness Guaranteed brand and RaceTrac brand pre-cut cantaloupes with best-by dates between Nov. 7 to Nov. 12 (sold in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia)
The recall was originally issued on November 17.
“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,” the CDC advisory says. “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 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
The two reported deaths were both in Minnesota.
The number of cases in each state:
Arkansas (1), Arizona (7), California (1), Colorado (2), Georgia (3), Iowa (5), Illinois (4), Indiana (2), Kentucky (5), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (13), Missouri (9), Mississippi (1), North Carolina (2), Nebraska (4), New Jersey (1), Nevada (2), New York (1), Ohio (8), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), Rhode Island (1), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (4), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (8).
Cantaloupes from the same strain have also caused infections in Canada.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause digestive issues, including diarrhea, cramps, and fever. Symptoms can appear from six hours to six days after consuming the food.
Most people infected with Salmonella recover independently, but some high-risk groups can become seriously ill and require quick treatment.