Death toll rises to five in cantaloupe salmonella outbreak, as cases almost double

Five people died as a result of the salmonella outbreak associated with Malichita and Rudi melons that were sold in six provinces.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says 129 people have been confirmed to have salmonella linked to the outbreak, nearly double the number in the last update on Dec. 1, when one death was recorded.

The agency did not provide any details on deaths in its latest update on Thursday, but cases in Quebec have risen sharply, with 91 confirmed infections compared with 35 last week.
   There are also 17 in Ontario, 15 in British Columbia and two each in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The agency said 45 percent of those who became ill were 65 and older, while more than a third were children five and under.

It said people fell ill between mid-October and mid-November, and 44 people were hospitalized, adding that other salmonella infections were being investigated.


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