Canada News

Egg consumption is the likely culprit of salmonella outbreaks in N.S., N.L.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating an outbreak of salmonella infections in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

In a news release Thursday, the agency said it’s working with provincial partners, as well as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Health Canada to investigate the outbreak.

“Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to eggs has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak,” the release said. “Many of the individuals who became sick reported consuming, preparing, cooking and baking at home with eggs.”

The release also said some people reported exposure to eggs at an institution, including nursing homes and hospitals, where they resided or worked before getting sick.

“Some individuals who became sick in this outbreak reported exposure to recalled eggs; however, there are a number of recent ill individuals that do not,” the release said.

PHAC did not name any companies who made the eggs. It did say there have been 57-laboratory confirmed cases of salmonella investigated in Nova Scotia (32) and Newfoundland (25) between late October 2020 and late January. Nineteen people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

The agency says the outbreak appears to be ongoing as recent illnesses continue to be reported.

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