Salmonella outbreak in US could be linked to imported onions, CDC says

Federal health officials said Wednesday that a salmonella outbreak that has infected more than 600 people in 37 US states is linked to different types of imported onions. (20).

“Get rid of unlabeled onions at home. Do not eat, sell, or serve red, white, or yellow onions imported from Mexico and distributed in the United States by ProSource Inc.”, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in a tweet.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 652 people were infected with salmonella and 129 people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.

“Epidemiological and tracking data show that one source of infection in this outbreak is purple, white and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed in the United States by ProSource Inc.”, the Centers for Disease Control said in a statement.

Several people who contracted salmonella ate onions at the same restaurant, according to epidemiological interviews conducted by the CDC.

The CDC said the number of people affected by a salmonella outbreak is likely to be higher than what has been reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the reported states.

“This is because many people are recovering without medical care and are not getting tested for salmonella,” the agency said.

What are the symptoms of salmonella?

In addition to discarding onions, people should wash contact surfaces and consult a doctor if they develop severe symptoms of salmonella.

Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, high fever, severe vomiting, and signs of dehydration, which usually begin six hours to six days after infection, according to the CDC.

Federal health authorities are investigating to determine if onions and other suppliers are linked to this outbreak.

An estimated 1.35 million cases of salmonella occur annually in the United States, with about 420 deaths, according to the CDC. Infection usually occurs when eating food contaminated with animal feces.

Last year, onions were also the cause of salmonella outbreaks that infected 640 people in more than 40 states.

Also in 2020, at least 55 people fell ill in 12 different states after a salmonella outbreak was linked to dried wood ear fungus, according to the CDC. Peaches and their products were recalled in 2020, after 101 people in 17 states contracted salmonella poisoning linked to the fruit.

Translated text. Read the original text in Spanish.