Hundreds of Canadians getting sick from salmonella outbreak linked to onions

The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning Canadians not to eat, use, sell or serve certain high-selling vegetable products as hundreds of Canadians are getting sick with salmonella infection.

"Do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions," the health agency said in its warning Friday, Aug. 14. "This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes."

The Agency added that "if you are not sure where a red, yellow, white, or sweet yellow onion was grown, do not eat it."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it is conducting a "food safety investigation" and has issued multiple food recall warnings for raw imported onions and certain products that contain or were made using these onions.

There is no evidence to suggest that onions grown in Canada are associated with this outbreak, the Public Health Agency said, adding "Onions imported from the United States are under investigation."

The outbreak investigation is ongoing as illnesses continue to be reported, the Agency said. Since August 7, there have been 100 additional illnesses reported in the ongoing Canadian investigation. There are now 339 confirmed cases in Canada, including eight in Ontario.

The agency says no deaths have been reported but 48 people have been hospitalized.

Individuals who became ill are between 3 and 100 years of age, with the majority of cases (54 per cent) being female.

"In Canada, based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to red onions imported from the USA has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak," the Agency said in its warning. "Many of the ill individuals under investigation reported having eaten red onions before getting sick."

Individuals who became ill reported eating red onions at home, in menu items ordered at restaurants and in residential care settings, the Agency said.