SD Salmonella Cluster in Brown Country
South Dakota state health officials are investigating a cluster of Salmonella illnesses in Brown County following four confirmed cases of Salmonellosis in the past week. The South Dakota Department of Health notes in a press release that at least 20 other Brown County children have been ill, potentially from Salmonella, but not confirmed.
.gif)
A public health probe is searching for the source of this Brown County SD Salmonella outbreak. . Through November 23, a total of 154 cases of Salmonellosis were reported in South Dakota for the year. Of these 154 cases, 23 (15 percent) have been from Brown County. Statewide, 31 percent of the Salmonella cases have been children 14 years and younger. Salmonella infection is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or from contact with feces from infected people or animals.
Lon Kightlinger, State Epidemiologist for the South Dakota Department of Health, took the opportunity to recommend that consumers take the following precautions when cooking their holiday meals:
- Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry or meat. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water.
- Keep raw poultry, meat and fish away from other foods that won’t be cooked and use separate cutting boards for the raw products.
- Cook poultry and meat to safe internal temperatures and use a food thermometer to check - 165°F for poultry and 160°F for beef and pork.
- Refrigerate raw poultry and meat within two hours after purchase. Cooked turkey and meat should also be refrigerated within two hours after cooking.
- If you have diarrhea or vomiting, do not prepare food for others to eat.
