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The outbreak, which was announced by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday, July 25, has been linked to lean ground beef, which is the only common food eaten by those who became ill.
According to officials, all of the affected people who remembered the type of ground beef they ate and where they had purchased it reported that they bought 80 percent lean ground beef from ShopRite locations in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey before falling ill.
Investigators are now looking to find out where this ground beef came from.
So far, the outbreak has caused 16 people to fall ill across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and has resulted in six hospitalizations.
In order to avoid getting sick, the CDC gave the following advice:
- Wash bowls, utensils, and surfaces that come in contact with raw beef with soap and water before using them again;
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after preparing raw ground beef;
- Separate packages of ground beef from other food items when shopping;
- Keep raw beef separate from other foods that will not be cooked;
- Store raw beef in a container or sealed, leakproof bag on the lowest shelf of the fridge or freezer;
- Use a food thermometer to ensure that the ground beef is cooked to 160 degrees, the temperature at which germs will be killed. Leftovers should be cooked to 165 degrees;
- Raw ground beef in the refrigerator should be used or frozen within one or two days;
- Ground beef should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking, or one hour if exposed to temperatures higher than 90 degrees;
- Thaw frozen ground beef in the fridge and not the counter.
Those experiencing severe Salmonella symptoms, including diarrhea, a fever higher than 102 degrees, diarrhea for over three days, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, should call their healthcare provider right away.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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