Backyard poultry linked to salmonella outbreak sickening dozens

Public health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak that has caused nearly three dozen illnesses across several states. Health officials believe the illnesses are linked to backyard poultry that carry the germ.

What we know:

The Center for Disease Control has collected and tracked data for the month of March and determined 34 people have been infected across 13 states with the strain of Salmonella Saitpaul Epidemiologic data says 41% of them were children. As of mid-April, 13 people total have been hospitalized. 

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Why you should care:

The CDC says it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person was part of an outbreak, so the number of people may actually be higher to include additional states because some may have recovered without knowing they were sick with salmonella. 

What they’re saying:

“Backyard poultry, like chickens and ducks, can carry Salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean. These germs can easily spread to anything in the areas where the poultry live and roam.”

RELATED: Backyard poultry linked to salmonella outbreak; over 100 sickened

Dig deeper:

State and local health officials spoke with most of the people about what type of animals they came in contact with prior to them becoming sick. The majority of them said they had contact with backyard poultry.

What’s next:

The CDC is urging safety around backyard flocks, including washing your hands, watching small children and handling eggs with care.