‘Abnormally high’ number of salmonella cases in Whatcom County. Here’s what to watch for

An “abnormally high” number of salmonella cases have been reported in Whatcom County since the start of July, according to a report from the Whatcom County Health Department.

It is not known at this time if the high number of cases are linked to a recent outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections across the U.S. and Canada, according to the news release. Nearly 400 people in 34 states, including two in Washington, have been infected, with 59 cases requiring hospitalization.

The nationwide outbreak has been traced to contaminated batches of onions sold by Thomson International Inc., according to the Food and Drug Administration. Thomson has started issuing recalls on all varieties of onions.

Canada has had 114 confirmed Salmonella Newport infections as of July 30 and has determined that red onions imported from the U.S. are “a likely source of the outbreak.” Canadian citizens are being warned against eating any red onions or products containing red onions that were imported from the U.S.

The FDA has advised people to throw away any onions from Thomson International and any onions of unknown origin. Any places that have come in contact with contaminated onions such as countertops, cutting boards and refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned with due diligence.

Severe cases of salmonella can be fatal so if you have symptoms you should contact your healthcare provider, according to the county.

Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps and some people may also have nausea, vomiting or a headache, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms usually start within 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4–7 days, according to the CDC.

This story was originally published August 1, 2020 at 5:41 PM.