More Sickened In Salmonella Outbreak In MN, Source Still Unknown

ACROSS MINNESOTA — Twenty-two people who live in Minnesota were infected with salmonella in a multi-state outbreak, federal health officials said.

Some 592 people across 36 states were infected with salmonella, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest update. Federal health officials are still looking for the food source linked to the illness.

In late September, 19 Minnesotans were affected by the illness in the outbreak.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week they got sick.

People who were sickened in the outbreak ranged in age from 1 to 97, with a median age of 36. Fifty-seven percent of people who were sickened were female.

Some 363 people had their information available and 116 of them — or 32 percent — were hospitalized, federal health officials said. No deaths have been reported.

There may be more people who got sick than the number reported since many people recover from salmonella without getting medical care or getting tested.

Health officials found a strain of salmonella in a takeout condiment cup containing cilantro and lime in late September. The agency said they couldn't find which food item was contaminated since there were multiple items in one container.

The CDC says to call your doctor if you experience salmonella symptoms, including the following.

• A fever higher than 102 degrees.
• Diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that has continued for more than three days.
• Vomiting.
• Signs of dehydration, such as not urinating, dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up.

Most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within six hours to six days of eating contaminated food.