The Public Health Agency of Canada continues to investigate salmonella food poisonings linked to eggs, even though the outbreak appears to be linked to eggs bought between October and December in the Maritimes.
As of February 18, 2021, there have been 57 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis illness investigated in the following provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador (25), and Nova Scotia (32). Individuals became sick between late October 2020 and late January 2021, reports the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Nineteen individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between two and 98 years of age.
Between October and December 2020, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued food recall warnings for a variety of eggs distributed in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The recalled eggs are now past their shelf-life and are no longer available for purchase. Some individuals who became sick in this outbreak reported exposure to recalled eggs; however, there are a number of recent ill individuals that do not, the public health agency said.
It is possible that more recent illnesses may be reported in the outbreak because there is a period of time between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between three and six weeks.
