{"id":263167,"date":"2020-07-28T02:21:56","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T06:21:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=263167"},"modified":"2020-07-28T02:21:56","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T06:21:56","slug":"public-health-notice-outbreak-of-salmonella-infections-under-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2020\/07\/28\/public-health-notice-outbreak-of-salmonella-infections-under-investigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Health Notice – Outbreak of Salmonella infections under investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FILE: Salmonella bacteria, a common cause of foodborne disease, invade an immune cell. (Photo<\/a>: NIAID\/Flickr<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why should you take note<\/b><\/p>\n

The Public Health Agency of\u00a0Canada<\/span>\u00a0is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Health Canada to investigate an outbreak of\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0infections occurring in five provinces.<\/p>\n

At this time, the source of the outbreak has not been identified, but health and food safety partners are investigating what is making people sick. The outbreak is ongoing, as recent illnesses continue to be reported to the Public Health Agency of\u00a0Canada<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0bacteria are found naturally in the intestines of animals, reptiles and birds. The bacteria are most-often transmitted to people when they eat contaminated foods. Contaminated foods often come from animal sources, such as poultry, beef, milk or eggs, but can also include fruits, vegetables, and herbs.<\/p>\n

In an effort to prevent further illnesses, Canadians are advised to wash their hands frequently and use\u00a0safe food handling practices<\/a>\u00a0to prevent\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0infections.<\/p>\n

This public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.<\/p>\n

Investigation summary<\/b><\/p>\n

As of\u00a0July 24, 2020<\/span>, there have been 59 confirmed cases of\u00a0Salmonella\u00a0<\/i>Newport<\/span>\u00a0illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces:\u00a0British Columbia<\/span>\u00a0(23),\u00a0Alberta<\/span>\u00a0(31),\u00a0Manitoba<\/span>\u00a0(3),\u00a0Ontario<\/span>\u00a0(1), and\u00a0Prince Edward Island<\/span>\u00a0(1). Individuals became sick between mid-June and\u00a0mid-July 2020<\/span>. Information is available for 28 illnesses. Out of 28 people, six individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between 11 and 77 years of age. The majority of cases (54%) are female.<\/p>\n

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) is also investigating an outbreak of\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0Newport<\/span>\u00a0illnesses that have a similar genetic fingerprint to illnesses reported in this outbreak. Investigators in\u00a0Canada<\/span>\u00a0and the U.S. are collaborating to exchange information to identify the source of the outbreak.<\/p>\n

It is possible that more recent illnesses may be reported in the outbreak because there is a period of time between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between two and four weeks.<\/p>\n

Who is most at risk<\/b><\/p>\n

Anyone can become sick with a\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0infection, but children aged 5 years and under, older adults, pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for contracting serious illness.<\/p>\n

Most people who become ill from a\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0infection will recover fully after a few days. It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.<\/p>\n

What should you do to protect your health<\/b><\/p>\n

It is difficult to know whether a product is contaminated with\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0because you can’t see, smell or taste it. To help prevent\u00a0Salmonella<\/i>\u00a0infections, the Public Health Agency of\u00a0Canada<\/span>\u00a0recommends following safe food handling tips. The following tips may help reduce your risk of getting sick, but they may not fully eliminate the risk of illness.<\/p>\n