An additional 77 cases of salmonella were reported in the past week in a outbreak of food-borne illness linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, two deaths have been reported, one each in California and Texas; 91 people have been hospitalized and 418 illnesses in 31 states have been reported.
Half of the illnesses are in children under age 18, says the CDC.
The importer has announced several recalls involving a type of cucumber that is known as a “slicer” or “American,” and is dark green with a length of seven to 10 inches.
“Several state health and agriculture departments are collecting and testing cucumbers from retail locations for the presence of Salmonella,” says the CDC.