The 411 on foodborne illness
The number of persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul is approaching 1,000, with victims identified in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
But as of this writing federal authorities are still stymied and seem no closer to finding a cause. In fact, over the holiday weekend the investigation was broadened to include not only the original suspect—tomatoes—but also foods commonly eaten with tomatoes such as those found in salsa. Cilantro as well as jalapeño and Serrano peppers have been added to the probe.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the government is investigating fresh salsa prepared at restaurants—and not processed or canned or jarred salsa. According to the report, the restaurants have not been identified. The Washington Post writes today that some salsas prepared at home are also in the mix.
What has been confounding about this latest outbreak of Salmonella is its longevity. Since April, 971 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2 persons), Arkansas (10), Arizona (45), California (8), Colorado (12), Connecticut (4), Florida (2), Georgia (24), Idaho (4), Illinois (93), Indiana (14), Iowa (2), Kansas (17), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (29), Massachusetts (22), Michigan (7), Minnesota (8), Missouri (12), New Hampshire (4), Nevada (11), New Jersey (9), New Mexico (98), New York (28), North Carolina (10), Ohio (7), Oklahoma (23), Oregon (10), Pennsylvania (8), Rhode Island (3), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (8), Texas (381), Utah (2), Virginia (29), Vermont (2), Washington (4), Wisconsin (10), and the District of Columbia (1). Four ill persons are reported from Canada; three appear to have been infected while traveling in the United States, and one illness remains under investigation.