At least 123 people in 25 states have been infected with Salmonella linked to live chicks and ducklings purchased from Ohio-based mail-order hatchery, Mt. Healthy Hatchery, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person has died in New York, though it is unclear if the infection contributed to the death. At least 26 people have been hospitalized. The number of ill by state are as follows: Alabama (4 illnesses), Delaware (1), Georgia (5), Illinois (1), Indiana (3), Kansas (1), Kentucky (5), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Maine (3), Michigan (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New York (16), North Carolina (12), Ohio (30), Pennsylvania (10), Rhode Island (1), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (8), Texas (2), Vermont (1), Virginia (6) and West Virginia (7). The infections come from three different strains of Salmonella, each linked to the same hatchery: Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Lille. Food Safety News last reported on this outbreak May 31, when the initial CDC reported confirmed 93 cases. The 30 new cases occurred in the following 14 states: Alabama (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (2), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Maine (1), New York (3), North Carolina (3), Ohio (4), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (4), Texas (1) and West Virginia (6). Illness onset dates range from March 1 to May 22. Cases range in age from one to 100 years, while children ages 10 years and younger account for 36 percent of those infected. “Illnesses that occurred after May 14, 2012 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported,” the latest CDC update read.
