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59 Salmonella cases identified in Virginia as CDC issues food safety alert for onions

Monique Calello
Staunton News Leader

The Centers for Disease Control has issued a food safety alert regarding a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections.

As of Oct. 20, 652 people have been reported sick from 37 states. Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia have the highest number of cases in the U.S.

Fifty-nine cases have been identified in Virginia. One hundred twenty-nine people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.  

Epidemiologic and traceback data show that one source of infections in this outbreak are whole red, white and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico and distributed throughout the United States by ProSource Inc., according to the CDC food safety alert.

The CDC advises people who have unlabeled whole red, white or yellow onions at home to throw them away and not eat them. People should not eat, and businesses should not sell or serve, whole onions that were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource Inc.  

Virginia is in the top 3 in terms of the number of infections according to CDC map (Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia have the highest number of cases in the US.)

Interviews with sick people show that 75% of people ate or possibly ate raw onions or dishes likely containing raw onions before they became sick, said the CDC. Several ill people reported eating at the same restaurants, indicating they may be part of illness clusters.

The outbreak strain was identified in a sample of cilantro and lime from a restaurant condiment cup collected from a sick person’s home. The sick person also reported that the cup contained onions, though none were left in the cup when it was tested, CDC investigators reported.

Investigators determined that ProSource Inc. supplied whole onions to many of the restaurants where sick people ate, including to the restaurant where the condiment cup was collected. 

Investigators are working to determine if other onions or suppliers are linked to this outbreak.

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What you should do

Do not buy or eat any whole fresh red, white or yellow onions if they were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource Inc.

Throw away any whole red, white or yellow onions you have at home that do not have a sticker or packaging.

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Wash surfaces and containers that may have touched the onions using hot soapy water or a dishwasher. 

Contact a healthcare provider if you have severe Salmonella symptoms. 

Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning

Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramping six hours to six days after eating contaminated food. 

The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. 

In some people, the illness may be so severe that the patient is hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other parts of the body. 

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness. 

If you have questions, contact the Virginia Department of Health.

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Monique Calello (she/her) is The News Leader's health reporter. Story ideas? Please email me at mcalello@newsleader.com. Follow me on Twitter @moniquecalello.

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