CDC Update on Turkey Salmonella Outbreak in California, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and 22 Other States
The CDC has released its first update on the Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak linked to ground turkey that has sickened 77 people in 26 states between March 1 and August 1, 2011. One person has died.
"This outbreak could have been prevented with better sanitation and pathogen testing," said Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our Salmonella lawsuits. "A bite of a turkey burger should not send someone to the hospital. These victims and their families deserve compensation, and the processor of the ground turkey needs to be held accountable."
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arizona (2), California (6), Georgia (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (7), Indiana (1), Kentucky (2), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (10), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), Mississippi (1), North Carolina (1), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), Ohio (10), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (5), South Dakota(3), Tennessee (2), Texas (9), and Wisconsin (3).
People sickened range in age from less than 1 year to 88 years old, with a median age of 23 years old. Among the 58 ill persons with available information, 22 (38%) have been hospitalized. This is an extremely high number of hospitalizations for a Salmonella outbreak.
One death has been reported. The family of this victim can pursue a Salmonella wrongful death lawsuit against the companies legally responsible for the death.
The outbreak investigation is ongoing. Cultures of four ground turkey samples purchased from four retail locations between March 7 and June 27, 2011 yielded Salmonella Heidelberg with the outbreak strain. Preliminary information indicates that three of these products originated from a common production establishment; the fourth is still under investigation. These were obtained as part of routine sampling in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), and have not been linked to illnesses. Product information (such as date and location of purchase of ground turkey) is also being collected from ill persons and is being used by local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies to conduct traceback investigations.
