Friday, December 8, 2023

Five dead after eating cantaloupe

Five people are dead, 44 have been in hospitals and 129 have been sickened after eating imported cantaloupes contaminated with Salmonella food-poisoning bacteria.

Two brands  - Malichita and Rudy – are under recall. Both are from Mexico.


The Public Health Agency of Canada said almost half of the people who have become sick are more than 65 years old and about a third are less than five years old.


One person is over 100 and there have been some babies less than a year old. 


The Public Health Agency said there has been a sharp increase in cases in Quebec - 91 now compared with 35 last week.


There are 17 cases in Ontario,15 in British Columbia and two each in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.


The agency said "people who are infected with salmonella bacteria can spread salmonella to other people several days to several weeks after they have become infected, even if they don't have symptoms.'' 


In addition to cantaloupes, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued separate recalls for other types of fruit produced alongside cantaloupes, such as honeydew, pineapple, watermelon and assorted fruit trays.