At least 10 people in six states have been infected with a serious strain of Salmonella after eating ground beef. The outbreak has killed one person (in California) and sent eight others to the hospital, the CDC said.
The Centers for Disease Control says the illnesses are more severe than expected, but doesn't know the origin of the outbreak.
There are multiple strains of Salmonella and the one linked to this outbreak is considered to be one of the more severe ones, which means it's more likely to enter the bloodstream, increasing the chances for fatalities, officials say.
Investigators have not yet identified a single source or brand of ground beef in connection to the outbreak. But those who have reported becoming sick reported consuming ground beef purchased from different stores, with most being men between the ages of 48 and 74.
Symptoms include fever, cramps and diarrhea.
The CDC is not advising retailers to stop selling ground beef or consumers to stop eating thoroughly cooked ground beef, but recommends refrigeration within two hours of purchase, cooking the meat until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and washing your hands and other items that may have come into contact with raw ground beef.
For more information, check the CDC advisory here.
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