98 salmonella infections linked to onions confirmed in Oklahoma, OSDH says
State health officials say 37 states are affected by the fast-growing salmonella outbreak.
State health officials say 37 states are affected by the fast-growing salmonella outbreak.
State health officials say 37 states are affected by the fast-growing salmonella outbreak.
The state health department reported Thursday that 98 Oklahomans have confirmed salmonella infections linked to onions.
Oklahoma has the second-highest most confirmed cases among the 37 states affected by the fast-growing outbreak, according to a news release. Texas has the most confirmed salmonella Oranienburg infections associated with the outbreak at 158.
>> Related: CDC says salmonella outbreak in 37 states linked to onions
The health department said there have been 652 infections nationwide, and 129 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted a traceback investigation and identified ProSource Inc. as a common supplier of onions imported to many of the restaurants where people who later fell ill ate, according to the news release. Investigators are working to determine if other onions and suppliers are linked to the outbreak.
OSDH officials said public health guidance is to avoid eating, selling or servicing fresh whole red, white or yellow onions distributed by ProSource Inc. that were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico. Fresh whole onions are often sold in bulk in grocery stores and might have stickers on them identifying the brand or where they were grown.
"Health department representatives will ask what you ate in the week before you started to get sick. So, if you start feeling like you might have salmonella, it’s a good idea to start making a list of the foods you’ve eaten during that time frame so that key information is readily available," state epidemiologist Jolianne Stone said in the news release.
Most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and vomiting. Symptoms usually start within a window of six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria.
Health officials said proactive measures to prevent getting sick include washing your hands, utensils and surfaces often. You also can rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting or peeling them.
Authorities also urge people to separate foods that won't be cooked from raw meat, poultry and seafood. Experts also suggest using a food thermometer to ensure cooking temperatures are high enough to kill germs and refrigerate perishable foods within two hours.
Click here for more information about salmonella Oranienburg.