Salmonella-tainted cucumbers kill 2 people and sicken 339 others, CDC says

Two people have died and more than 300 others have fallen ill after eating imported cucumbers tainted with salmonella, health officials said Wednesday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a total of 341 people were affected across 30 states, a significant jump since Sept. 4, when only 56 cases were reported. Seventy people have been hospitalized, the CDC said.

The outbreak of Salmonella Poona was linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico and distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce, officials said. They said labels indicated the slicer- or American-variety cucumbers were grown and packed by Rancho Don Juanito in Mexico.

The bulk of the cases have been reported in California, where one person died and 71 others were infected.

Andrew & Williamson has issued a recall for cucumbers sold under its Limited Edition label from Aug. 1 to Sept. 3.

“Every effort has been taken to remove this product from the market and we have stopped all harvesting and packing operations at the grower’s facility,” the company said in a statement.

Limited Edition cucumbers were distributed in states ranging from Alaska to New Jersey, the CDC said.

Most people infected with salmonella develop symptoms within 12 to 72 hours of being exposed to the bacteria, the CDC said. Symptoms can include a fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. It can be fatal, but most infected people recover within a week.

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