It was shocking to note that a salmonella outbreak has been reported once again in the United States due to consumption of fresh-cut melons. Fresh cut melons sold at popular grocery stores were responsible for nearly 60 people being infected with Salmonella. In order to be sure of what is safe to consume and what not, refer to the list of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consumable items. Here they state that people need not give up melons entirely but rather only the pre-cut ones.

In general,  pregnant women, immune-compromised patients, elderly people and children are at high risk of this foodborne infection. Nearly 66 percent of the people infected were hospitalized due to this sudden outbreak.

Fever, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fatigue are the symptoms of salmonella. In severe cases, the salmonella bacteria can even infect the bloodstream which might turn out to be life-threatening. Usually, it takes a number of days for the onset of the marked symptoms. Your last breakfast or lunch may not be the reason for this food poisoning.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee said, “Go see your doctor and tell them if you’ve eaten any watermelon, honeydew, [or] cantaloupe; Let them know about it so they can do the appropriate cultures.”

To safeguard from this outbreak, it is suggested to wash your hands properly and to not leave food at room temperature for too long.