Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Red Onions Expands To New Jersey, Connecticut; Hundreds Sickened In 43 States
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/CNN) - A salmonella outbreak caused by onions is expanding and has infected at least 640 people from 43 states. At least 85 of them have been hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
New Jersey and Connecticut were added to the most recent list of states with infections.
There were two cases reported in New Jersey and two in Connecticut according to the CDC's Aug. 6 update. New York reported five cases - one more since the last update on July 31.
LINK: CLICK HERE to read the CDC's Food Safety Alert
"If you don't know where your onions are from, don't eat, serve, or sell them or any food prepared with them," the CDC said Friday.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to eat onions from Thomson International Inc. The advice applies to red, white, yellow, and sweet onions.
Some of the onions were sold at stores including Walmart, Kroger, Fred Meyer, Publix, Giant Eagle, Food Lion, and H-E-B, under a variety of brand names, the CDC said.
RELATED STORY: New York Added To List Of States Affected By Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Red Onions, Health Officials Say
Several companies have recalled onions and foods made with recalled onions like chicken salad, macaroni salad, fajita stir-fry, pizza and diced raw onions, including Taylor Farms and Giant Eagle.
The CDC said people should check their homes for the recalled products and throw away the affected items.
"Do not eat them or try to cook the onions or other food to make it safe," the CDC said.
LINK: CLICK HERE for a map of reported cases in the U.S.
Signs of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps between six hours and six days after exposure to the bacteria. Those under age 5, those over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to experience severe illness.
In some cases, the infection can spread from the intestines to other parts of the body and require hospitalization.
The CDC is urging anyone with symptoms of salmonella poisoning to contact a doctor, write down what they ate the week before they became sick, report the illness to the health department and communicate with health investigators about their illness.
MORE: Red Onions Pulled From Stores And Restaurants Nationwide Over Possible Salmonella
Infections have been reported in dozens of other states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
A complete list of affected states is on the CDC's website.
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