Recall alert: CDC expands recall after salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes leads to 2 deaths

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said that cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products are linked to a deadly salmonella outbreak in 32 states.

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A salmonella outbreak has led to “99 people sick in 32 states, including 45 hospitalized and sadly 2 deaths. More whole and pre-cut cantaloupe have been recalled. Throw them away or return them,” the CDC said in a statement on Facebook.

Three brands -- Rudy whole cantaloupes, Freshness Guaranteed and RaceTrac pre-cut cantaloupes -- were added to the recall Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The outbreak jumped from 43 infected people as of Nov. 17 to 99 cases in 32 states, according to KPIX.

The two people who died were in Minnesota, according to the news outlet.

Around 45 people have been hospitalized nationwide and have all reported eating contaminated cantaloupe, the AP reported.

The ongoing recall expanded to include both whole cantaloupes and pre-cut cantaloupe products. Thirty-two states are affected by the outbreak including Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin, the CDC reported.

CDC: Food items involved in the extended recall

• Whole cantaloupes -- May have a “Malichita” or “Rudy” sticker on them with “4050,″ and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique.”
• Pre-cut cantaloupe products -- Brands include Freshness Guaranteed, RaceTrac, ALDI, Vinyard.

What you should do, according to the CDC

• Do not eat any recalled cantaloupes or other fruit items;
• If you have any recalled items, throw them away or bring them back to the store where you purchased them;
• Wash items and surfaces;
• Call your healthcare provider if you are experiencing symptoms.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include:

• Fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea;
• Symptoms usually start after six hours up to six days after ingesting the bacteria. According to the CDC, most people recover after about four to seven days.
• “Vulnerable people, including children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems may develop severe illnesses that require medical care or hospitalization,” the AP reported.

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