Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe rages across 15 states

Dozens of people across 15 states have become sick after contracting salmonella from cantaloupes included in a recent recall, according to U.S. health officials.

At least 43 people in 15 states have been infected in the salmonella outbreak, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday. Seventeen of those people have been hospitalized.

Several brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit have been recalled in the past week after suspicions they were possibly contaminated.

This includes Malichita brand whole cantaloupes sold between Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupe sold between Oct. 30 and Nov. 10 and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products with best-by dates between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31.

Consumers who have the recalled fruits are urged to throw them away immediately and investigators are working to identify any additional cantaloupe products that may be contaminated.

Canadian officials are probing an outbreak involving the same strain of salmonella discovered in Malichita brand cantaloupe.

The number of people sick in the outbreak is likely much higher than reported so far and states without known infections could be impacted. Symptoms can take days to show, and it typically takes three to four weeks to determine if a case is connected to the outbreak.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. The illnesses typically last four to seven days. Salmonella can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.