Cucumbers Cause of Latest Outbreak in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a wonderful state to live, work, and visit. From its picturesque Berkshire mountains to the stunning city skyline of Boston, and out to the sandy beaches of Cape Cod, there is something for everyone.

Aside from its natural beauty, quality of life in Massachusetts also scores high on national rankings. From the job market to public education, health care, and more, state residents are fairing well.

Massachusetts is also one of the safest states to live in, not only safe from crime but safe from natural dangers as well. Besides some long, nasty winters, Massachusetts is usually safe from hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes, that plague other parts of the country.

While Massachusetts is a safe place to live, there are some factors that still threaten the health and well being of it's residents. Many of these things are out of residents' control and can harm folks even when they are trying to be healthy. We all remember the E. coli outbreaks tied to romaine lettuce that have plagued folks around the state multiple times, well this time around the culprit is cucumbers.

Cucumbers Cause Salmonella Outbreak in Massachusetts

After a thorough investigation, the FDA and CDC have confirmed that contaminated cucumbers caused the Salmonella outbreak that affected Massachusetts and many other states.

Almost 500 cases of the illness were reported in 31 states as well as the District of Columbia.

 Laboratory, epidemiological, and traceback data have determined that cucumbers from Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, are a likely source of illnesses in this outbreak; however, this grower does not account for all the illnesses in this outbreak.

 

The outbreak affected folks in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.