There are now 170 confirmed cases of Salmonella Typhimurium in an outbreak of illnesses linked to eating deli chicken salad from Fareway grocery stores by the CDC. Of these, 62 have been hospitalized. The number of cases by state is as follows: Illinois (9), Indiana (1), Iowa (149), Minnesota (3), Nebraska (5), South Dakota (2), and Texas (1).
Our Salmonella attorneys have talked with over 30 of these people, and they have filed three lawsuits against Fareway and the company that made the chicken salad, Triple T Specialty Meats, Inc. They will be filing another lawsuit against Fareway and Triple T Specialty Meats next week. We anticipate that this will be the fourth of a number of lawsuits.
With respect to the confirmed outbreak cases, the first reported date of onset of illness is January 8, 2018, and the last is February 18, 2018. We anticipate additional confirmed cases in the following weeks because it takes between two and four weeks between the time when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.
The people sickened in this Salmonella outbreak linked to Fareway chicken salad range in age from 7 to 89 years, with a median age of 59. More than half of those sickened are female, and some are children.
To date, five Salmonella Typhimurium isolates from ill people contained genes for resistance to all or some of the following antibiotics: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone, gentamicin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline. Because of this, some infections might be difficult to treat with the antibiotics usually prescribed. The CDC is testing additional outbreak isolates in its National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) laboratory.
Fareway and Triple T Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
Both laboratory and epidemiological evidence has linked outbreak illnesses to chicken salad sold under the Fareway brand label and made by Triple T Specialty Meats, according to the CDC. This evidence can be used in a lawsuit seeking compensation for those sickened in the outbreak.
Laboratory Evidence
Investigators in Iowa collected chicken salad from two Fareway grocery store locations in the state. Laboratory tests were done on the salad samples, and the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium was identified in both of the samples.
Prompted by these findings, on February 21, 2018, Triple T Specialty Meats, Inc. issued a recall of all chicken salad produced from January 2, 2018, to February 7, 2018. The recalled chicken salad was sold in bulk to Fareway, where it was repackaged in smaller containers with Fareway deli labels. These containers were sold in various weights from the deli counters at Fareway grocery stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota from January 4, 2018, to February 9, 2018.
Epidemiological Evidence
Throughout the outbreak, state and local health departments have interviewed people diagnosed with Salmonella poisoning to find out what they ate in the week before they became sick. They find information about food eaten in the week before because the incubation period can be that long. This means a person can eat something contaminated with Salmonella and not get sick from that for a week.
To date, 159 people have been interviewed. Of those, 131 (82%) reported eating chicken salad from Fareway stores.
“It takes an average of two to four weeks from when a person becomes ill with Salmonella to when the illness is reported to CDC or health officials. Because of this reporting lag, the additional 105 people added to this investigation likely became ill from eating chicken salad recalled by Triple T Specialty Meats, Inc. which is no longer available for purchase.”CDC
Our lawyers are representing a number of people sickened in this outbreak. They have filed three lawsuits and are preparing to file more. They have also been contacted by people who have been diagnosed with Salmonella but are waiting for test results to find out if they are part of the outbreak. Call them at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or use the form below.
We are filing individual lawsuits because the injuries suffered by our clients require them to get individualized compensation packages. Contact our law firm if you want information about class action lawsuits.