(Ottawa) The outbreak of salmonellosis caused by contaminated cantaloupes from the Malichita and Rudy brands has claimed a sixth victim in the country, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced Friday.
In its most recent update regarding this outbreak, PHAC indicated that 153 confirmed cases of salmonellosis have now been identified, which is 24 more than had been recorded as of December 7. At that time, five deaths had been reported.
Quebec is the province with the most cases, with 103. The others are located in Ontario (20), British Columbia (17), Nova Scotia (4), Alberta (3), Prince Edward Island (2), New Brunswick (2) and Newfoundland and Labrador (2).
In total, 53 people had to be hospitalized due to this outbreak. Infected people saw their symptoms appear between mid-October and the end of November.
“The majority of people who have fallen ill are children aged 5 or younger or adults aged 65 or older. Several people say they reside in a long-term care facility, private residence for seniors or attend a daycare,” explained the PHAC in its update published Friday.
All Malichita brand cantaloupes sold between October 11 and November 14, as well as those of the Rudy brand sold between October 10 and November 24, were the subject of a recall by the Canadian Agency food inspection.
“To prevent illness, avoid eating, serving, using, selling or distributing Malichita brand or Rudy brand cantaloupe or any product containing it. If you are unable to verify the brand of the cantaloupe, it is recommended to throw it away,” said the PHAC, which has been publishing regular updates on this outbreak since mid-November.
Salmonellosis, an infection caused primarily by eating food contaminated with the bacteria called salmonella, has symptoms that may include fever, nausea, vomiting, headache and abdominal cramps.
“Most people who contract salmonellosis recover completely without treatment within a few days, but some people may develop severe salmonellosis and need to be hospitalized,” PHAC added.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis associated with cantaloupes.