Food In Canada

Cucumbers may be cause of Salmonella outbreak in five provinces

By Food in Canada staff   

Food Safety Fruit & Vegetables cucumbers food safety salmonella


On Friday the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced its investigating an outbreak of salmonella infections involving five provinces, mostly in western Canada.

The agency says on its website that the source of the outbreak has not been identified yet, although many of the people who became sick reported eating cucumbers.

As of Friday October 19, 37 cases of salmonella have been confirmed in British Columbia, five in Alberta, and one case each in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. According to PHAC, the person from Quebec reported travelling to British Columbia before becoming ill. The cases occurred between mid-June and late-September, and nine people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

PHAC says it is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada as part of the investigation. In its statement, PHAC says the outbreak appears to be ongoing as illnesses continue to be reported. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that residents in central and eastern Canada are affected by this outbreak.

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