New salmonella strain from ‘unknown food source’ infects more than 200 people, CDC says

A salmonella outbreak linked to a new strain has infected more than 200 people, according to the CDC.

The CDC is investigating the outbreak and says that 20 states are seeing hospitalizations linked to the new Oranienburg strain of salmonella. Virginia is among those states affected with 22 people reported to be sick.

At this time, it’s unknown what type of food is causing the illness, but scientists say it may be linked to food from restaurants.

Officials with the CDC say they are interviewing those who contracted salmonella about the foods they are the week they fell ill.

“Several groups of people (”subclusters”) at restaurants in multiple states have been identified,” the CDC wrote of the outbreak. “These subclusters are groups of people who do not know one another who ate at the same restaurant and got sick.”

According to the CDC, the number of cases of the Oranienburg strain may be much higher than the number reported.

The CDC has not reported any deaths linked to this outbreak so far.

WSLS 10 has reported on three different salmonella outbreaks linked to food since June. You can read that coverage below:

• Salami, prosciutto and other Italian-style meats linked to salmonella outbreak - Aug. 24
• Serenade Foods recalls nearly 60,000 pounds of its chicken products due to possible salmonella contamination - Aug. 11
• Frozen cooked shrimp recalled due to salmonella outbreak - June 29