December 4, 2023

Childcare Center: Food Safety Alert from Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

A CDC food safety alert regarding an outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to cantaloupes has been updated. Seven children attended childcare centers before they got sick. Children under 5 can get very sick from Salmonella.

 

What Childcare Centers Should Do

  • Do not use any recalled whole or pre-cut cantaloupes.
  • Do not serve any cantaloupe that was supplied pre-cut if you don’t know whether recalled whole cantaloupes were used.

Key Points:

  • As of November 28, this outbreak has a total of 117 sick people from 34 states. 61 people are hospitalized, and sadly, 2 have died.
  • Interviews with sick people and laboratory findings show that cantaloupes are making people in this outbreak sick.
    • Malichita and Rudy brand whole cantaloupes have been recalled. Many pre-cut cantaloupe products have also been recalled.
    • CDC is advising people not to eat pre-cut cantaloupes if they don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand whole cantaloupes were used.
  • CDC is concerned about this outbreak because illnesses are severe with more than half hospitalized, and people in childcare centers have gotten sick.
    • A third of sick people are children 5 years and younger, and 7 children attended childcare centers before they got sick.
    • CDC advises facilities that care for people who are at higher risk for severe illness to not serve cantaloupes that may be contaminated. This includes recalled cantaloupes and cantaloupe that was supplied pre-cut if the brand of whole cantaloupes used are not known.

 

What Everyone Should Do:

  • Do not eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupes were used.
    • This includes cantaloupe chunks and fruit mixes with cantaloupes at restaurants and grocery stores.
  • Do not eat any recalled whole or pre-cut cantaloupe products.
    • If you have any, throw them away or return them to the store.
    • If the whole cantaloupe does not have a sticker, check with the store to make sure it is not a Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupe.
  • Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the cantaloupe using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
  • Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:
    • Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
    • Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
    • Bloody diarrhea
    • So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
    • Signs of dehydration, such as:
      • Not peeing much
      • Dry mouth and throat
      • Feeling dizzy when standing up

 

Salmonella Symptoms:

  • Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
    • Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
    • Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
  • Some people—especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
  • For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.

 

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

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