Salmonella outbreak up to 362 cases, Delaware the newest state to report a case

The number of cases in the multistate Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak linked to Foster Farms brand chicken has risen by two dozen cases since the last update nearly two weeks ago, according to the lastest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday.

Salmonella image/CDC

According to the federal health agency, a total of 362 individuals infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 21 states and Puerto Rico. Most of the ill persons (74%) have been reported from California.

The 24 new cases were reported from  six states– California (16), Colorado (3), Idaho (1), Michigan (1), Texas (2) and one from the newest state to report a case, Delaware.

On October 12, 2013, Costco’s El Camino Real store located in South San Francisco, California recalled more than 9,000 units (approximately 40,000 pounds) of rotisserie chicken products due to possible Salmonella Heidelberg contamination.

On October 17, 2013, Costco’s El Camino Real store recalled an additional 14,093 units of rotisserie chicken products for which cross-contamination of the post-cooked ready-to-eat product was identified as a likely cause.

Earlier, the CDC reported that seven strains of Salmonella Heidelberg bacteria have been identified as being linked to this outbreak. Ill persons infected with each of the seven strains were linked to consumption Foster Farms chicken.

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