The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has announced 105 cases of illness. This latest outbreak of salmonella is traced to pistachios. Since the beginning of March, the COVID-19 outbreak has been dominating headlines. It has resulted in 16 hospitalizations, disproportionately affecting people in Quebec and Ontario. More recently, similar cases have emerged surrounding incidents in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.
The upper age range of those impacted is particularly shocking. The youngest confirmed case is a two-year-old, and the oldest person is 95. This broad age range shows that salmonella isn’t picky when it comes to age. While most people get better on their own in under a week, certain populations are at a greater risk of more serious illness, sometimes necessitating hospitalization.
Seniors, young children, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to severe complications from salmonella infections. Even with these protections in place, the PHAC stresses that those in these groups must continue to follow safe food handling practices.
Even more concerning, reports indicated that illnesses continued to appear well into early September. The recently released numbers show that five additional people have been hospitalized just since the agency last updated its count earlier this month. Additionally, of the reported cases so far, about 75 percent are in female patients, representing a notable demographic trend within the outbreak.
Public health officials recommend that consumers do not eat pistachios without cooking them first. They want the public to know salmonella infection symptoms, which include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Individuals with the most serious symptoms or who are in high-risk groups need to get care immediately.
