Kellogg's Honey Smacks Salmonella Outbreak Grows To 130 Cases
(CNN) -- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that 30 more people have gotten sick in a multi-state outbreak of salmonella illness linked to recalled Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal.
Since the last update on July 12, 30 more illnesses have been reported, bringing the total to 130 cases from 36 states since March, although the outbreak was not announced until June.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps and typically present 12 to 72 hours after exposure to the bacteria. The first cases of illness in this outbreak began with symptoms on March 3, and the most recent individuals began feeling ill on August 7, according to the CDC.
So far, 34 people have been hospitalized in the outbreak. No deaths have been reported so far. Three additional states reported people being made ill by the cereal: Delaware, Maine, and Minnesota.
New York, Pennsylvania, and California have the most cases in the outbreak, with New York having 15 and the other two states having 11 each.
The FDA reports that recalled Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal is still being sold in some locations, despite the earlier recall announced in June.
"The FDA has become aware that recalled Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal are still being offered for sale," the agency said in a statement. "All Honey Smacks cereal was recalled in June 2018. Retailers cannot legally offer the cereal for sale and consumers should not purchase Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal."
The cereal has a shelf life of one year and could still be in many homes.
Symptoms last about four to seven days, and although most people improve without treatment, some may require hospitalization because of severe diarrhea.
Salmonella can also travel from the intestines to the bloodstream and ultimately the rest of the body. Death is rare but may occur if the person is not treated quickly with antibiotics. No deaths have been reported in this outbreak.\
Consumers are advised not to eat any Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal. This advice applies to Honey Smacks in any size package and with any "best if used by" date.
Any consumers who find they have Kellog's Honey Smacks in their pantry are advised to throw out the cereal or return it for a refund.
Any consumers who store cereal that looks like Kellogg's Honey Smacks in a container without the packaging and don't remember the brand or type should throw it away. Kellogg's Honey Smacks is an oval-shaped, sweetened puffed wheat cereal with a golden brown color.
Any container used to store Kellog's Honey Smacks should be thoroughly washed with warm, soapy water before using it again to remove harmful germs that could contaminate other food.
In addition, the agency has advised the public to report any sales of the cereal to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in their area.
The CDC and the FDA are working with state and local health officials across the country to investigate the source of the contamination.
The-CNN-Wire
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