After 15 dead Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak declared over

In the United States, the Salmonella Sundsvall outbreak linked to cantaloupe from Mexico has been declared over.  The outbreaks sickened 407 people in 44 states. Six deaths were reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first reported the outbreak on November 17.

Of the 362 patients with information available, 158 were hospitalized. 

Illnesses started from Oct. 15, 2023, to Dec. 25, 2023.

The patients ranged from less than 1 year old to 100 years, with a median age of 60. An unusually high percentage of the patients were five years or younger, with 26 percent of patients reported in that age group. Forty-seven percent of the patients were 65 years old or older.

Canadian officials have posted their final update on the Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe, adding two deaths to the toll. There were 190 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall, Oranienburg, and Newport illnesses associated with the nationwide outbreak. Sixty-eight patients were hospitalized, and nine died.

Individuals who became ill were less than 1 to 100 years of age. Most of the patients were children five years or younger, 33 percent, or adults 65 years or older, 45 percent. About half of the cases were female.

The Canadian outbreak coincided with an outbreak in the United States that was traced to the same cantaloupe as was implicated in Canada. Recalls for Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupe from Mexico began in November. Several secondary recalls of fresh-cut products made with the cantaloupes were initiated. Investigators found the outbreak strain of Salmonella on Malichita brand cantaloupe.

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.