ASHEBORO NC – The Centers for Disease Control has issued a food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Salmonella linked to onions imported from Mexico and sold in the United States.
The CDC says they have traced one of the sources of infection in the outbreak to whole red, white, and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed throughout the United States by ProSource Inc. These onions were sold to restaurants and grocery stores across the United States.
Officials say not eat and throw away all whole fresh red, white, or yellow onions if they were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico or any onions if you can’t tell where they came from. The onions may have stickers or packaging indicating the brand (ProSource Inc.) and the country (Mexico) where they were grown, ProSource Inc. indicated onions were last imported on August 27, but say that the imported onions can last up to three months in storage and may still be in homes and businesses. If you find the affected onions after you throw them away you should wash surfaces and containers that these onions may have touched using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
So far, 652 people have reported getting sick from 37 states, and 129 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, which usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria. Normally people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days, but some people, especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems – may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
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
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