040167 USDA Issues Beef Warning After Salmonella OutbreakJanuary 31, 2004Washington - The U.S. Agriculture Department has issued a public health warning about raw ground beef products after dozens of people in the Northeast became ill with salmonella infections, a spokesman said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a salmonella outbreak of at least 37 cases in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Health officials said many of the people who became ill reported eating ground beef, and some ate the meat raw. "This was enough for us to warn consumers that ground beef may be the root of infections in this case," said Matt Baun, spokesman for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. "We wanted to warn consumers that, until we get more information, the best way to protect themselves is to cook their ground beef," he added. Hospitalization was necessary for 40 percent of the cases, but no deaths have been reported, health officials said. Salmonella, which sickens 1 million people annually, can cause vomiting, diarrhea and fever in healthy adults and can be fatal for elderly people or those with weak immune systems. Symptoms usually occur within eight to 72 hours of eating infected meat. About 600 Americans die from salmonella annually, according to federal health data. Amy Dechet, CDC epidemiologist, said the illnesses occurred between October and December of last year. The tainted beef was purchased at local grocery stores, she said. The USDA said it was investigating and would issue a meat recall if necessary. To prevent salmonella poisoning, USDA says meat and poultry products should be well-cooked, without any pink in the middle.
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com |
