2 deaths, 45 hospitalizations: Here’s what we know about salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes

At least two people have died and 45 people have been hospitalized in a salmonella outbreak in cantaloupes across 32 states, the Centers for Disease Control said Friday.

Cantaloupes from several brands, including those sold at Aldi, have been recalled as the CDC works with the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the outbreak.

The FDA has advised consumers, businesses and restaurants to check cantaloupes they have to see if they have been recalled. If someone has a recalled cantaloupe or if they are unsure if a cantaloupe has been recalled, they are advised to throw it away or return it and sanitize any surfaces that may be contaminated.

How many illnesses, deaths are linked to the outbreak?

99 illnesses and 45 hospitalizations have been linked to the salmonella outbreak said the CDC Friday, while 2 deaths were reported.

The most recently reported illness occurred on November 10, though the agency notes that illnesses can take three to four weeks to be determined as a part of an outbreak.

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Which states are impacted?

The salmonella outbreak has been reported in 32 states including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennesse, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Minnesota has the largest number of sickened people with 13 of the 99 cases reported nationwide, according to CDC data.

When was the first salmonella case reported?

The first case was reported on October 17, 2023, per CDC data, while the highest number of cases were reported on October 24, 2023.

Which brands have recalled cantaloupes?

The following products have been recalled, as per the CDC:

• Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms voluntarily recalled nearly 4,900 cases of its "Malichita" brand whole cantaloupes due to the ongoing investigation of Malichita-brand cantaloupe for salmonella. The company distributed the cantaloupes between Oct. 18-26 in California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin across various supermarkets, according to the FDA. Consumers should look out for corrugated cartons with a price look-up sticker labeled as "Malichita." Pacific said it hadn't received any reports of people being sick as of Friday.
• CF Dallas LLC recalled packages of their Freshness Guaranteed and RaceTrac brands of fresh cut fruit packages on Wednesday.
• Sofia Produce LLC, which operates under the name Trufresh, recalled all sizes of fresh cantaloupe with a label that says "Malichita" on Nov. 15. The recalled cantaloupes were sold between Oct. 16-23.
• Aldi also announced a recall on cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with best-by dates between Oct. 27-31.
• Vinyard Fruit and Vegetable Company initiated a voluntary recall of all fresh-cut cantaloupe product. The recall includes a dozen fresh-cut products containing cantaloupes distributed in Oklahoma from Oct. 30 to Nov. 10.

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What are the symptoms of salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterium that affects the intestines of people and animals, according to the CDC. People can get the salmonella infection from eating or drinking contaminated food and water or by touching infected animals, their feces, or their environment.

Salmonella symptoms include:

• Bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than three days without improving
• Diarrhea and fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit
• Excessive vomiting, especially if it prevents you from keeping liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, including dry mouth and throat, infrequent peeing and feeling dizzy when standing up
• Stomach cramps
• Feeling dizzy when standing up

Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria, says the CDC. Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days. The CDC recommends getting in touch with a healthcare provider if symptoms persist or get worse.

Is it safe to eat cantaloupe?

The CDC has advised against consuming, selling or serving recalled fruit. However, they have not issued any warnings against completely avoiding the fruit.

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Contributing: James Powel, Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.