Reuters.com
On December 15, 2023 Mexico’s government says that a cantaloupe processing plant has been temporarily closed while investigating the source of a salmonella contamination that has killed at least nine people in the U.S. and Canada. Mexican health officials ordered temporary suspension of activities at the plant in the northern state of Sonora after two visits in which samples were taken and pending results.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Canada's public health agency (PHAC) reported nine deaths and hundreds of illnesses from salmonella since October. Four deaths were reported by the CDC. Five were reported by PHAC, according to Canadian media.
Health authorities in both countries have implicated Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes as sources of the outbreak. Batches of canteloupes have been returned to Mexico from the U.S while the Mexican government said that it was working to prevent contaminated products from being distributed to the market.