Since the outbreaks were reported on June 2, there have been 287 confirmed cases added, bringing the total to 611 people sickened, according to an update this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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According to the CDC’s announcement, reported illnesses began January 4, 2016, and those sickened range in age from 1 to 93 years old, with a median age of 20.
Among 496 ill people with available information, 138 (28 per cent) reported being hospitalised, and one death was reported.
The CDC said that OH has reported 56 people becoming ill, along with 35 in Kentucky and 12 in IN as of this week.
“The investigations this year involve the largest number of sick people linked to live poultry that we’ve seen, with the second highest being in 2013 at 579 illnesses”, the statement read. Some of the places ill people reported contact with live poultry include their home, someone else’s home, work or school settings. One third of the patients were children 5 years of age or younger.
“Regardless of where they were purchased, all live poultry can carry Salmonella bacteria, even if they look healthy and clean”, the CDC said in a press release.
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The CDC advised against allowing poultry to live inside the house, to practice proper hygiene by washing hands thoroughly with soap after touching live poultry or anything in the area where the birds roam, and to not let children under age 5 touch poultry without adult supervision.
