Health Law

Egg Outbreak Update: growing numbers and consumer information

By Drew Falkenstein

The CDC released a graphic today that is a striking illustration of both the size of the egg outbreak, as well as the increase in Salmonella enteritidis illnesses nationally over the baseline level in the last five years:

What's really scary is that, as recently as late July, the green bars were still about 3/4 as high as they were during the peak times of late June and early July, with many illnesses surveilled in the month of August certainly yet to be reported.  Translation:  there have been a heck of a lot of people ill nationally in this outbreak, and probably many who are still ill or yet to become infected--depending on the success of Wright County Egg's efforts, in conjunction with FDA, to recall implicated eggs. 

In addition to contacts from lots of sick people (Possibly as many as 50,000 victims of the Salmonella egg outbreak so far?) we are getting lots of questions from consumers who are understandably worried about the eggs they've got in the refrigerator right now, and whether its safe to buy or consume eggs at all.  Wright County Egg company's August 18 recall includes eggs with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 229 and plant numbers 1720 and 1942.  The August 13 recall includes eggs with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413, and 1946.  Read FDA's most recent update on the recall.  The plant number and Julian dates will be positioned on cartons as pictured here:

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on August 19, 2010 (boomark / email).