Public Health Agency releases ‘final update’ into onion Salmonella outbreak in Canada that has left hundreds sick and dozens hospitalized

The Public Health Agency has released what it’s calling it’s “final update” into a salmonella outbreak in Canada caused by onions.

The outbreak, the Agency says, “appears to be over” and the “outbreak investigation has been closed.” Onions imported from the United States are no longer under investigation since salmonella illness linked to this outbreak have “significantly decreased” over the last three weeks.

Since mid-summer, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) collaborated with federal and provincial public health partners, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate an outbreak of salmonella infections that occurred in seven provinces, including Ontario.

“Given that Salmonella illness reporting linked to this outbreak has significantly decreased over the last three weeks, the outbreak appears to be over and the investigation has been closed,” the Agency said in a statement/

The investigation’s findings identified “exposure” to red onions imported from the USA as a likely source of the outbreak,

In total, there were linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (121), Alberta (293), Saskatchewan (35), Manitoba (26), Ontario (14), Quebec (25) and Prince Edward Island (1).

Individuals became sick between mid-June and late-August 2020.

Seventy-nine individuals were hospitalized, the Agency said, and three people died, but salmonella did not contribute to the cause of these deaths.

Individuals who became ill were between 1 and 100 years of age. The majority of cases (54 per cent) were female.

“Individuals who were ill reported eating red onions at home, in menu items ordered at restaurants and in residential care settings,” the statement said.

Onions grown in Canada were not associated with this outbreak, the Agency added.