At least 345 people in 27 states have become sickened with the same strain of salmonella recently linked to jalapeños, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Aug. 5.
So far, the Food and Drug Administration said no deaths have been reported, according to a CDC news release, but 36 people have been hospitalized in connection with the illness.
Where the Jalapeños Came From
The investigation remains ongoing. Health agencies said they linked the outbreak to jalapeños supplied by a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed in the United States by Coast Citrus Distributors.
The jalapeños were primarily distributed to restaurants or wholesalers, according to the CDC release. Coast Citrus Distributors is recalling the peppers and notifying its customers.
USA TODAY reported that officials had not yet released a list of the 27 affected states.
Restaurants Remove the Peppers
The announcement came after Chipotle Mexican Grill said it removed jalapeños from its restaurants nationwide. The peppers had been linked to a salmonella outbreak in Minnesota that sickened more than 100 people.
After being notified about the outbreak, Chipotle and Qdoba stopped serving the affected jalapeños, the CDC wrote in its release. “Given their actions to remove (the) product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” the release said.
The FDA is also working to determine whether recalled jalapeños were distributed to grocery stores. If so, the agency may announce additional recalls on its recalls page.
What Consumers Should Know
Anyone with the affected jalapeños at home should not eat them and should throw them away, the CDC warned.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and fatal infections in children, older adults and other people with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.
People infected with salmonella typically develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after eating a contaminated product. Diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps are the main symptoms.
Most people recover without treatment, but in rare circumstances the infection can require hospitalization, according to the CDC. Pregnant women are also at higher risk of developing an infection and should seek medical attention if symptoms arise.
Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.