CDC issues alert for salmonella outbreak linked to onions imported from Mexico

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Food Safety Alert for a salmonella outbreak linked to onions imported from Mexico.

The CDC said the red, white and yellow onions, which were distributed by ProSource Inc. to restaurants and grocery stores across the U.S., were linked to 652 illnesses and 129 hospitalizations in 37 states.

Seven cases of salmonella were reported in Ohio, though the CDC said the outbreak may be larger than reported because many people recover without medial care and aren’t tested for the illness.

The onions were last imported on August 27, but can last up to three months in storage so they may still be in homes and businesses.

At home, the CDC said to check onions for stickers of packaging listing the brand ProSource Inc. imported from Mexico, and if you can’t tell where they came from, don’t buy or eat them. Then, wash any surfaces and containers the onions may have touched with hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Salmonella symptoms generally include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, arising six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria. Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days, but some people, like children younger than five, adults 65 and older and people with compromised immune systems may experience severe illness.

The CDC said to call a healthcare provider if you have diarrhea and a fever above 102 degrees, have had diarrhea for more then three days that isn’t improving, have bloody diarrhea, are unable to keep liquids down due to vomiting or are showing signs of dehydration like dry mouth and throat and feeling dizzy when standing.

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