Don’t eat pre-cut cantaloupe if the source is unknown, CDC says, as deadly salmonella outbreak grows

By JONEL ALECCIA
AP Health Writer

U.S. health officials say consumers should not eat pre-cut cantaloupe if they don’t know the source. That comes as the number of illnesses and recalls tied to a deadly salmonella outbreak grows. At least 117 people in 34 states are sick after eating contaminated cantaloupe in the U.S. That tally includes 61 who were hospitalized and two who died. Another 63 illnesses, 17 hospitalizations and one death tied to the outbreak have been reported in Canada. Previous recalls of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes are expanding. Kwik Trip markets, Bix Produce and a distributor named GHGA are now involved. The distributor sent recalled products to Kroger, Sprouts Farmer’s Markets and Trader Joe’s stores.