A Salmonella outbreak in Newton County, Georgia that has sickened at least 70 people has been linked to Plain Nuts Catering & Deli, according to the latest information from the Newton County Health Department. Four people have been hospitalized.
The outbreak was first reported on May 4 after illnesses were reported among guests of an invitation-only event in Newton County on April 28. Later, other illnesses were reported by people who did not attend that event but who did eat food prepared by Plain Nuts at other occasions.
County health officials say the Salmonella Enteritidis say the outbreak does not appear to be linked to other Salmonella outbreaks. There is no indication that outbreak is ongoing, they said. Pine Nuts will remain closed until the outbreak investigation has concluded.
Illnesses were reported from late April to mid-May. The first illnesses reported were associated with the April 28 event, the most recent illnesses reported are associated with a May 9 event in Social Circle. Both events were catered by Plain Nuts.
Newton County health officials created and distributed a survey to collect information about exposure and illness information. They are still analyzing information gathered from the cluster of illnesses at the second event and have not yet identified the specific food source of the outbreak.
In a May 25 Salmonella outbreak investigation update health officials said they had concluded their investigation without identifying the source of the Salmonella contamination. Case-patients who attended one of the events associated with this outbreak reported eating chicken before they became ill but samples of the chicken did not test positive for the outbreak strain.
Each year, 1.2 million people in the U.S. develop a Salmonella infection. Of those, about 23,000 are hospitalized, and 450 die. The symptoms of a Salmonella infection, which usually appear within 12 to 72 hours of exposure and last three to four days, include fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea. For some people, the diarrhea can be so severe that they become dehydrated and require hospitalization. These patients can face life-threatening illness if the infection travels from the intestines to the bloodstream.
If you have a Salmonella infection from this outbreak or another outbreak you can contact our law firm for a free consultation. If you are not sure if you are part of an outbreak, our lawyers can provide information on steps you can take to find out. The Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Hageman has won millions for clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against restaurants, food companies and others.
This post was updated May 29 to include information contained in a May 25 update on the outbreak investigation.