Salmonella Outbreak Traced to Tomatoes in Restaurants
The recent salmonella outbreak reported in the news has been traced to tomatoes served in restaurants, says federal health officials.
The outbreak has sickened 183 people in 21 states in the United States, as well as two people in Canada. 22 people have been hospitalized. Most of the cases have been east of the Mississippi River, with the exception of Washington state.
This contamination, which has not caused any fatalities, was first announced on Monday, October 30. It followed the September E. coli contamination of spinach that killed three people and sickened more than 200 in 26 states and one Canadian province.
There are about 2,500 types of salmonella. The type in the new outbreak -- salmonella typhimurium -- is one of the most common, reports CDC officials. People can get salmonellosis by eating contaminated food, such as chicken, eggs or produce, or by contracting it from the feces of animals. Often, food gets contaminated from feces that gets into the water used to wash and nourish produce.