How to know if you have salmonella as death toll rises from cantaloupe outbreak
Global News
A deadly salmonella outbreak traced back to cantaloupes has claimed the lives of five people and infected over 100 people across Canada.
A deadly salmonella outbreak traced back to cantaloupes has claimed the lives of at least five people and infected over 100 people across Canada, prompting a warning from experts to remain vigilant, look for signs of the infection, and consider temporarily avoiding melons.
Salmonella, a bacterial infection commonly transmitted through contaminated food and water, poses a significant health threat, especially to children and older adults, as it can lead to severe gastrointestinal symptoms, dehydration, and, in extreme cases, death.
“Salmonella is one of the most prolific pathogens we know,” said Keith Warriner, a food safety professor from the University of Guelph. “The reason why it’s so successful is that it can survive any environment. It can be passed from person to person and passed into foods.”
In October and November, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued several recalls of fruit due to salmonella risks. The majority of these recalls involved various brands of cantaloupe, including pre-cut chunks and whole melons.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said Thursday that, based on the investigation findings to date, consumption of Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes has been identified as the likely source of the outbreak. The outbreak has also spread across six provinces: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.
As CFIA continues its investigation, it warned more recalls may be on the horizon.
What makes this bacteria so dangerous is its ability to enter the intestines, and then the bloodstream, causing extreme dehydration and even sepsis, Warriner warned. It can then internalize with the lymphatic system and gastrointestinal tract to reach other organs.
This is especially dangerous for older adults, young children, people who are pregnant and those with weakened immune systems.
B.C. health authorities have announced the first case of a human avian flu infection acquired in Canada, with the teenage patient in critical condition in hospital.
People have been hearing a lot about H5N1 bird flu — or highly pathogenic avian influenza — since a B.C. teen became the first human to get the virus in Canada and is in hospital.
The Liberal government and the NDP negotiated the substance of a pharmacare bill as part of their now-defunct supply-and-confidence agreement.
Kennedy ran as an independent presidential candidate but gave Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a role in health policy in the next Trump administration.
Emergency services are at the scene of a train derailment Thursday morning on Montreal's south shore, where they are urging citizens to stay away from the area.
"I was yelling at them saying get the F** away it’s a wild animal," resident Josh Merrin told Global News. "Sorry about my language."
H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.
The Calgary Zoo announced that one of its lowland gorillas unexpectedly passed away on November 12, 2024.
Edmontonians have had mixed feelings and now the city is asking people to share their thoughts officially. The findings of a survey could bring some changes.
Dr. Anna Wolak, a family physician in Vancouver, said many parents are likely having flashbacks to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite this flu being a single case.
WHO acknowledged that testing for mpox is still not widespread, making it difficult to understand how exactly the virus is spreading.