Deaths from tainted cantaloupe increase to 3 in U.S. and 5 in Canada
Updated: 8:07 PM CST Dec 7, 2023
GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FRESH CUT CANTALOUPE. A DEADLY OUTBREAK OF SALMONELLA. IT’S JUST MAKING PEOPLE SICK, VERY SICK. AND BOTH THE US AND CANADA SO HERE TO EXPLAIN THE RISK WITH US IS DR. TODD ELLERIN, THE CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH, TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US ONCE AGAIN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YEAH. LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A MAP HERE BECAUSE AS OF TUESDAY, THERE HAVE BEEN 117 INFECTED ONES IN 34 STATES, INCLUDING MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND. MORE THAN HALF HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. AND TWO PATIENTS IN MINNESOTA HAVE DIED. SO DO YOU THINK THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CASES COULD BE EVEN HIGHER? I THINK IT DEFINITELY COULD, JESSICA AND THE REASON IS THE CDC TELLS US FOR EVERY CONFIRMED CASE OF SALMONELLA, THERE’S PROBABLY ABOUT 30 CASES THAT HAVEN’T BEEN DIAGNOSED. MOST OF THOSE ARE MILDER, WHICH IS GOOD. BUT THERE’S A LOT OF SALMONELLA. I THINK THE KEY RIGHT NOW IS REALLY HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM CANTALOUPE. OKAY. SO ARE WE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT CUT CAN BLOW WHOLE CANTALOUPE? DOES IT MATTER? IT DOES MATTER. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH WHOLE CANTALOUPE FROM A COUPLE OF PRODUCERS AND THEN CUT CANTALOUPE FROM MANY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PRODUCER. THERE’S THE PROBLEM IS THOSE CUT CANTALOUPE ARE OFTEN USING SOME OF THAT WHOLE CANTALOUPE. SO UNTIL THE CDC GIVES US A GREEN LIGHT, IT’S IT’S BEST TO STAY AWAY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, CASES HAVE TRIPLED. OKAY. SO THIS IS CONCERNING. THE CDC SAYS ABOUT A THIRD OF PATIENTS IN THIS OUTBREAK ARE UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE. SO IS SALMONELLA PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS TO KIDS? WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS MOST PEOPLE DO VERY WELL WITH SALMONELLA, BUT THE EXTREMES OF AGE AND IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS ARE THE ONES THAT CAN BE HARDEST HIT. SO, AGAIN, I THINK YOU DON’T WANT TO TAKE ANY RISKS, ESPECIALLY IN THE YOUNGEST KIDS. AND YOU TOLD US YOU SAW A CASE OF SALMONELLA AT SOUTH SHORE EARLIER TODAY. IS IT TYPICALLY DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT A CASE IF THAT’S WHAT IT IS? YEAH. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS MOST SALMONELLA IS ISOLATED AND NOT PART OF THESE OUTBREAKS. MY PATIENT DID NOT EAT ANY CANTALOUPE. NO, NO MELONS IN THE PAST MONTH. SO THAT’S GOOD NEWS. HE OR SHE IS NOT PART OF THIS OUTBREAK. BUT I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE REALLY THINGS ARE SPREADING. IT’S NOT JUST IN THE US AS WELL. IT’S MULTI COUNTRY. CANADA IS ALSO INVOLVED. AND WE WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BRANDS, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CANTALOUPE. SO THE CDC SAYS THE INVESTIGATION IS TARGETING TWO BRANDS OF WHOLE CANTALOUPES, MAMACITA AND RUDY. RIGHT. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE BRAND THE STORE IS USING, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? YOU WANT TO STAY AWAY, RIGHT? STAY AWAY. STAY AWAY FROM CANTALOUPE. RIGHT NOW, IT’S THE BEST THING. THE HEALTHIEST THING. SOON ENOUGH, HOPEFULLY, THE CDC WILL SAY IT’S OKAY TO GO BACK. OKAY, GOOD ADVICE. DR. ELLERIN, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE WHEN YOU’RE HERE, WHEN YOU GIVE US THIS ADVICE. IT’
Deaths from tainted cantaloupe increase to 3 in U.S. and 5 in Canada
Updated: 8:07 PM CST Dec 7, 2023
A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cantaloupe has now killed eight people — three in the U.S. and five in Canada, health officials reported Thursday.Dozens more illnesses were reported by both countries. In the U.S., at least 230 people have been ill in 38 states and 96 have been hospitalized since mid-November, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In the video player above: A doctor discusses cantaloupe salmonella casesThe tainted cantaloupe was also shipped to Canada, where 129 cases have been reported, including 44 hospitalizations, health officials reported.Many of the people who fell ill reported eating pre-cut cantaloupe in clamshell packages and trays sold in stores. Consumers should not buy, eat or serve cantaloupe, if they don't know the source, the CDC said. New recalls of whole and pre-cut fruit have been added to a growing list, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. Last week, Cut Fruit Express initiated a recall of cantaloupe chunks and fruit mixes containing cantaloupe. On Tuesday, TGD Cuts, LLC launched a recall of specific fresh fruit cup, clamshell and tray products that contained cantaloupe from the company TruFresh. Health officials are still working to determine whether additional products are linked to the illnesses. Salmonella can cause serious illness in young children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems.
A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cantaloupe has now killed eight people — three in the U.S. and five in Canada, health officials reported Thursday.
Dozens more illnesses were reported by both countries. In the U.S., at least 230 people have been ill in 38 states and 96 have been hospitalized since mid-November, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the video player above: A doctor discusses cantaloupe salmonella cases
The tainted cantaloupe was also shipped to Canada, where 129 cases have been reported, including 44 hospitalizations, health officials reported.
Many of the people who fell ill reported eating pre-cut cantaloupe in clamshell packages and trays sold in stores. Consumers should not buy, eat or serve cantaloupe, if they don't know the source, the CDC said.
New recalls of whole and pre-cut fruit have been added to a growing list, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. Last week, Cut Fruit Express initiated a recall of cantaloupe chunks and fruit mixes containing cantaloupe. On Tuesday, TGD Cuts, LLC launched a recall of specific fresh fruit cup, clamshell and tray products that contained cantaloupe from the company TruFresh.
Health officials are still working to determine whether additional products are linked to the illnesses.
Salmonella can cause serious illness in young children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems.
