ATLANTA — Four people in Georgia are sick from a salmonella outbreak that’s already confirmed to have made almost 200 people ill.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the latest salmonella outbreak they’re tracking has been on their radar since April and is related to backyard poultry.
Backyard poultry is when poultry are kept on private property at a residence, rather than a traditional processing facility.
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According to the CDC, 184 people have been confirmed as sick so far, and more than 25% of them are children younger than 5-years-old.
The CDC said the largest outbreak in the current set of salmonella instances include an unusually high contact with ducks.
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The federal health agency also said that due to how illnesses are reported, the number of people infected as part of the outbreak is “likely much higher” because most people who are infected recover without medical treatment and do not get tested for salmonella.
“Backyard poultry, like chickens and ducks, carry Salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean,” the CDC said. “These germs can easily spread to anything in the areas where the poultry live and roam.”
The CDC says children under the age of five should not handle poultry or chicks, eggs or items near their habitats.
The agency said to help prevent getting sick, do not touch backyard poultry or anything in their environment, then touch your mouth or food. This will help prevent the possible swallowing of the salmonella germs.
It’s also important to wash your hands immediately after touching backyard poultry, their eggs or anything in the area they live or roam.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, dehydration, dizziness when standing and infrequent urination.
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