Salmonella is everywhere. And while the salmonella-in-eggs-from-Iowa outbreak is capturing media attention, other outbreaks continue.
The LaCrosse Tribune reports that salmonella poisoning did sicken about 30 people in Vernon County, Wisconsin late last week, but the illness is not thought to be connected to the recent nationwide egg recall.
The Wisconsin Lab of Hygiene confirmed Tuesday that patients who came into Vernon Memorial Healthcare had salmonella poisoning, Vernon County Health Department Director Beth Johnson said.
All of the cases were related to people who attended the same private party, Johnson said, and no local businesses or restaurants were involved.
While eggs are suspected in the outbreak, "it has nothing to do with the current egg recall," she said.
Meanwhile, a popular Mexican restaurant near Bakersfield, Calif., was forced to shut their doors Thursday, after four people were sickened with salmonella poisoning. Two of them remain hospitalized.
The Kern County health department says Don Perico may be the common denominator in these illnesses.
The sign posted on the restaurant’s front doors says the restaurant is remodeling, but the health department says they’re the ones who closed the doors. "There had been some past examples of significant violations," said Matt Constantine with the Health Department. "We have worked through them, we have allowed them to stay open. But in this case because of the potential health risk we took immediate action."