A salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe spreads to Ohio.
There are two reported cases in Ohio, but neither case is from our area. Since early July there have been more than 140 cases linked to the bad melons. 31 of those cases resulted in hospitalizations and two deaths. The cantaloupes are thought to be from southwestern Indiana.
If you have cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana or aren't sure where it's from, throw it away.
Health officials say this outbreak is a good reminder to always wash your produce before eating it.
"It's important to wash melons with soap and water first and remember those rinds have the little divots in them so make sure it's clean before you start cutting into the fruit because if there are germs on the surface when we cut into the fruit we definitely distribute that all the way through the fruit," Becky Dershem with the Allen Co. Health Dept., said.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. It usually lasts four to seven days and most people don't need to go to the doctor.
