According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that people across 22 states have been sickened by the same Salmonella outbreak originating from raw oysters. Almost two dozen people have been hospitalized as a result.
“CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to identify the food source of a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Telelkebir infections,” the CDC explained in a recent report.
As of Dec. 23, 64 people have been reportedly infected with this outbreak strain of Salmonella. Out of 44 people with information available, 20 have been hospitalized.
The actual number of people infected with Salmonella likely exceeds what reports have indicated thus far
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” the CDC continued. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, 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.”
So far, the CDC and FDA do not know the exact source of the outbreak. However, of the 27 people interviewed by state and local public health officials, 20 reported eating raw oysters.
However, bacteria from 59 samples of those infected showed this strain of Salmonella does not have any resistance to antibiotics.
Some of the symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. The CDC’s best advice moving forward? Cook oysters before eating them.