Colorado cantaloupes issue warning after multi-state listeria outbreak
The outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe is claiming more lives as federal health authorities report new deaths in Colorado, Kansas and Missouri.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that there are now 28 deaths connected to the outbreak in a dozen states. The CDC said 133 people have been sickened in 26 states, including those who died.
Listeriosis is a rare and serious illness that mostly affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns and those with weak or comprised immune systems, according to ABC News. A person who comes down with it usual experiences fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and confusion.
While the tainted Colorado cantaloupes have been taken off of the shelves, the symptoms of listeria can take up to two months to appear. Federal officials says they plan to monitor the outbreak until November at least.
Deaths have also been reported in Indiana, Louisian, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., recalled cantaloupes Sept. 14.
The FDA released a statement Tuesday noting that it is working closely with the CDC state officials to investigate the outbreak.
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