State records have recently revealed that raw milk from a California farm has been associated with numerous cases of salmonella illnesses. This outbreak is more extensive than previously reported.
Health officials have reported that products from Raw Farm, based in Fresno, California have caused a salmonella outbreak. The records indicate that as of February, 165 people have been affected by this outbreak. This is the biggest salmonella outbreak in the United States in the last ten years that has been linked to raw milk.
Health officials are cautioning the public to steer clear of unpasteurized milk as a bird flu virus, known as Type A H5N1, is currently spreading in U.S. dairy cows. More than 140 dairy herds in the country have reported cases of the virus, with raw milk having been found to contain high levels of the virus. The disclosure of the outbreak’s magnitude has raised concerns among health experts and the general public alike.
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Since October, the public has not been informed about the full extent of the salmonella outbreak by state and local health officials. In San Diego, officials reported approximately twelve cases, and at that time, Raw Farm took the initiative to voluntarily recall milk and heavy cream sold between October 11 and November 6.
According to records obtained by Seattle-based food safety lawyer Bill Marler, the number of cases in the outbreak continued to increase. Mr. Marler, who shared the documents with The Associated Press, revealed that he is representing 16 clients who are believed to have fallen ill due to the outbreak.
According to the documents, investigators were able to link samples obtained from the sick individuals to those taken from the farm and a retail store. Reports show that over 60 percent of those who were confirmed to have been infected had consumed Raw Farm products. The outbreak affected individuals from four different states, with the majority of cases, which totaled 162, being from California. Shockingly, it was discovered that four of the individuals who had contracted salmonella also had infections of campylobacter and/or harmful E. coli bacteria, as stated in the documents.
According to officials, children under the age of 5 accounted for almost 40% of reported illnesses. Additionally, 20 individuals were hospitalized as a result of the illness, but thankfully, no deaths were reported.
On Wednesday, health officials in California announced that they had carried out a thorough investigation in collaboration with local teams and state agriculture officials. They also made sure to inform the public about the outbreak through a recall notice in October and social media posts in October, November, and December. According to officials, the outbreak came to an end on May 4. However, it remains uncertain whether there were any additional cases reported after February.
According to Mark McAfee, the owner of Raw Farm, his products were involved in the outbreak. He admitted that one cow from the herd was infected with salmonella in the past fall and was promptly removed. Additionally, he mentioned that he implemented further testing procedures as a response to the outbreak.
After consuming Raw Farm’s products, Jessie McGee, a 35-year-old resident of San Pedro, California, and her three children fell ill. In October, her 6-year-old daughter was admitted to the hospital after being diagnosed with an infection associated with the outbreak. Despite reading about the supposed health benefits of raw milk online, Ms. McGee regrets her decision and plans to sue Raw Farm. Her older daughter suffered the most severe symptoms, including high fever and stomach cramps.
