Cantaloupe salmonella outbreak has now killed 5 people in Canada

A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupe has now killed five people in Canada, according to health officials.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says 129 cases of salmonella have now been linked to this outbreak of three strains of the illness, which is spread across six provinces.

There have been 15 cases confirmed in British Columbia, 17 in Ontario, 91 in Quebec, two in Prince Edward Island, two in New Brunswick and two in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Food recall warnings were issued three times in November for Malichita cantaloupes sold between October 11 and November 14.

On November 24, Rudy brand cantaloupes sold between October 10 and November 24 were added to the warning.

Investigations have found that the outbreak likely originated from these two brands.

Five deaths have now been reported and a total of 44 people are hospitalized.

Biochemist Brian Coombes from McMaster University says one of the three strains was associated with a 1998 outbreak in southern Ontario.

READ MORE: 1 person dead, 63 confirmed cases in salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the majority of sick individuals are either young children or older adults.

The agency says 35 per cent of those who got sick are five-years-old or younger, while 45 per cent are 65-years-old or older.

Many cases also report residing in a long-term care home, retirement residence or attending daycare.

Food policy researcher Sylvain Charlebois says outbreaks like this could be minimized or even avoided if food recalls were better communicated to the public.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are also investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes they say have the same genetic strain as the one in Canada.

For further information, including a full list of brands and cantaloupe products affected, visit the Government of Canada’s website here.