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A salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has left at least 68 people sick, according to federal regulators.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating a nationwide outbreak of salmonella linked to recalled cucumbers. On Monday, the FDA expanded a recall of several of brands of cucumbers and products containing cucumbers due to a potential contamination of salmonella, a bacterium that can cause serious infections.
Cases linked to this outbreak — including 18 hospitalizations — have been reported in 19 states.
SunFed Produce was the first company to issue a voluntary recall of all sizes of its fresh cucumbers on Nov. 27. This was followed by recalls from Baloian Farms on Nov. 29 and Russ Davis Wholesale on Dec. 1. All the cucumbers were were grown by Agrotato in Sonora, Mexico. They were imported by the American companies between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26.
Additionally, Russ Davis has recalled a number of its products that contain cucumbers such as salads and wraps. Images of recalled products and labels can be found here.
Health authorities are asking retailers to discard any recalled cucumbers and notify customers. Walmart, Costco, and Wegmans have all also issued recalls of the affected cucumbers sold at their stores.
Consumers are being advised to check their refrigerators and freezers for recalled cucumbers and products containing recalled cucumbers from SunFed Produce, Baloian Farms, and Russ Davis. Additionally, they should sanitize any surfaces they have touched.
Salmonella is a bacteria that is normally found in the the intestines of people and animals, but certain types of salmonella can cause serious infections.
It is the leading cause of food borne illness, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States, according to the CDC. Salmonella causes an estimated 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 42o deaths every year in the United States.
Common symptoms of a salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Most people can recover without treatment in about a week. But children under 5, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk of developing a severe illness from an infection and could require hospitalization.