A deadly salmonella outbreak spanning 47 states gets linked to backyard chickens and ducks
Cases and hospitalizations that mushroomed over the last month of this year’s salmonella outbreak traced back to chickens and ducks kept as pets or food producers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tuesday update.
If that makes such salmonella outbreaks sound like a yearly public health concern, well, might as well call a duck — a duck. Starting in 2018, each of the last four calendar years has had a backyard poultry salmonella outbreak, during which the CDC warns about contact with the animals — specifically kissing them on the lips.
Here’s the latest on this year’s repetition of salmonella history.
How common is salmonella?
By the CDC’s count, salmonella strikes 1.35 million Americans each year, hospitalizes about 26,500 and kills 420. Most at risk for the worst effects are senior citizens, children under 5 and those with damaged immune systems. Most people get fever, vomiting, stomachaches and diarrhea that starts around 12 to 72 hours after eating the tainted food and runs for four to seven days.
What’s going on with the salmonella outbreak?
What’s going on? Growth. As of Tuesday, the CDC’s count says the outbreak has sickened 863 people across 47 states and the District of Columbia, putting 209 in the hospital and killing two people. That’s an increase of 191 sick (28.4%), 52 hospitalizations (33.1%) and one state since the July 23 update.
One in four who are ill are under the age of 5.
Neighboring Midwestern states Wisconsin (51 sick) and Minnesota (45 people sick) have gotten the worst of it, although only Delaware, Alaska and Hawaii haven’t been touched by this outbreak.
Are there any food recalls connected with this outbreak?
No.
How do you avoid getting salmonella if you’re around poultry?
▪ No matter if you consider your chicken, chick or duck your baby, don’t kiss the baby.
▪ After dealing with the animals, wash your hands or at least rub hand sanitizer on them.
▪ Keep the chicken and duck stuff — coops, feed containers, shoes you use in the coop — outside the house. Clean them out there, too.
▪ “Rub off dirt on eggs with fine sandpaper, a brush, or a cloth,” the CDC suggests. “Don’t wash them because colder water can pull germs into the egg.”
▪ Grocers were advised to put handwashing stations or hand sanitizer pumps near their poultry display areas, along with signs advising customers to wash their hands as they leave the area.
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 7:22 PM.
