One person has died and nine others were sickened in six states after apparently eating ground beef contaminated with salmonella.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the cases Friday afternoon. Eight of the 10 individuals needed to be hospitalized. The number of those hospitalized is far greater than what health officials would normally expect to see from Salmonella. The CDC said Salmonella poisoning usually has a 20 percent hospitalization rate.
The preliminary investigation suggests tainted ground beef is to blame, but health officials have not been able to pinpoint a single brand or source. No recall is associated with this small outbreak.
Investigators say that those who got sick reported eating a variety of ground beef brands purchased from different locations.
Cases have been reported in California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Those who have fallen ill are between the ages of 48 and 74, and most are men.
Experts suggest that people avoid consuming beef that's not thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Very young children and those over age 65 are most at risk for severe symptoms.
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