Health Law

Oklahoma Salmonella outbreak grows; Iowa and Nebraska involved too?

By Drew Falkenstein

NEWSOK reports this morning that the Oklahoma salmonella outbreak has risen to 15 identified cases in three counties.  Two additional cases were identified Friday among elementary-age children in the Mustang School District in Canadian County, for a total of 12 cases there. Also previously confirmed were two adult cases in Oklahoma County, including one person hospitalized. Carter County also has a young adult with a confirmed case of salmonella. 

Laurence Burnsed, the Oklahoma Health Department's communicable disease division director, said that the health department is also monitoring the illnesses of several Iowa and Nebraska residents infected by a similar strain of salmonella as the one involved in the Oklahoma outbreak.  The thought is that the illnesses might all be part of a larger outbreak, though no specific foods have been identified as an outbreak vehicle. 

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on October 02, 2010 (boomark / email).