Fast growing Salmonella outbreak sickens people in Massachusetts, at least 24 other states

The CDC is reporting a Salmonella outbreak that has affected at least 25 states, including Massachusetts.

According to the CDC, a specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this fast-growing outbreak.

At least 127 people have been sickened.

It is believed that more states and people may have been infected then data indicates as many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.

Recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

If you have symptoms of a Salmonella infection, talk to your healthcare provider and report your illness to your health department to help investigators solve this outbreak.

Take action if you have symptoms of a Salmonella infection:

Talk to your healthcare provider.
Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
Report your illness to your health department.
Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:

Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
Bloody diarrhea
So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
Signs of dehydration, such as:
Not peeing much
Dry mouth and throat
Feeling dizzy when standing up

Always follow these four food safety steps to prevent getting sick from Salmonella:

Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling them.

Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germsexternal icon.

Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (within 1 hour if the food has been exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like at a picnic). Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.