Cantaloupe Outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that 72 illnesses, including 13 deaths, are linked to the tainted fruit. They have confirmed two deaths in Texas and one death each in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. 

Listeria generally only sickens the elderly, pregnant women and others with compromised immune systems. The CDC said the median age of those sickened is 78 and that one in five who contract the disease can die.

Dr. Robert Tauxe of the CDC says the number of illnesses and deaths will probably grow in coming weeks because the symptoms of listeria don't always show up right away. It can take four weeks or more for a person to fall ill after eating food contaminated with listeria. 

I love cantaloupe and all but im not down for getting sick off of it! I doubt anyone else is! Saw one on my kitchen counter and had to trash it ASAP, just touching it made me feel ill. 

Symptoms of listeria include fever and muscle aches, often with other gastrointestinal symptoms. Victims often become incapacitated and unable to speak.

mmmmh delicious

Official CDC Report