Salmonella Tomato Cases in Texas, New Mexico Rising

The number of salmonella cases linked to raw tomatoes are still growing while investigators are still trying to pinpoint the source of the outbreak across Texas and New Mexico.

Dallas Morning News reports three new cases were reported in Harris County, bringing the total to 24 cases in Texas, state health officials said. That includes four cases in Dallas County. In New Mexico, 40 cases of the same Saintpaul strain of salmonella have been confirmed, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

New Mexico officials began testing a variety of tomatoes across the state to help determine the source of the problem. Emily Palmer of the Texas Department of State Health Services said officials are monitoring the outbreak and may consider testing as the investigation continues. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said preliminary investigations suggest that raw red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes are to blame. The FDA put out a warning suggesting folks only eat tomatoes that haven’t been connected to the outbreak, including cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine attached and tomatoes grown at home.

Anyone who has eaten tomatoes and suffered from salmonella symptoms, including fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, should contact a doctor. Most people recover from salmonella within several days, but some cases can be deadly. People with weakened immune systems, the elderly or infants should particularly stay away from tomatoes tied to the outbreak.