News location:

Canberra Today 15°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Chief Health Officer warns to stay off the melons

melons

ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Paul Kelly is advising Canberrans not to consume rockmelon if they are unsure of the supplier. This follows confirmation the ACT has been a distribution point of the Salmonella contaminated rockmelon currently being recalled nationally.

“Northern Territory based company “Red Dirt” is currently undertaking a trade level recall of their product after detection of Salmonella bacteria by South Australian authorities on 2 August 2016,” Paul said.

“This has coincided with an investigation into the source of a national outbreak of a rare strain of Salmonella (Salmonella Hvittingfoss).

“With the investigation of the national outbreak and confirmation the ACT has been a distribution point of the contaminated product, I am today advising the community not to consume rockmelon if they are unsure of the supplier, in particular for infants, the elderly, pregnant women or people with compromised immune systems.

“There have been 97 reported cases of Salmonella Hvittingfoss nationally since the beginning of June 2016. Although the source of the outbreak at this stage is still unclear, consumption of rockmelon is common to many cases.

“Here in the ACT we have had two identified cases with Salmonella Hvittingfoss in recent weeks. Although it is thought they did not contract the illness in the ACT, with both reported travelling interstate prior to the onset of their illness, ACT Health Protection Service is actively monitoring the situation here in the ACT.

“We are also working with local retailers supplied by the company to ensure all contaminated rockmelon has been removed from the supply chain.

“Salmonellosis is caused by the bacteria Salmonella. Symptoms of infection include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, fever, vomiting and headache. These symptoms usually start within 12 to 36 hours after exposure to the bacteria and most people are sick for 4 to 7 days. Infants, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

“Anyone who may have consumed the recalled rockmelon and is concerned about their health should seek medical advice from their general practitioner.

This strain of Salmonella is uncommon in the ACT with just two notifications of Salmonella Hvittingfoss received between 2011 and 2015.

Important information about the products being recalled is available on the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand website: foodstandards.gov.au

Important information about Salmonellosis is available on the ACT Health website at: www.health.act.gov.au

[Photo by RubyGoes, attribution licence]

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Share this

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews