*Plagues, Pestilences and Diseases

Australia: Salmonella Food poisoning affects 247 people
*
March 30, 2007 08:31pm
Article from: AAP

AN outbreak of food poisoning linked to a bread shop in Sydney's west
has now affected 247 people, health authorities say.

Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) says 60 people have been
hospitalised so far and 26 of them have gastroenteritis caused by
salmonella food poisoning.

The SSWAHS is investigating the French Golden hot bread shop at Homebush
West, where all of the affected people ate either pork or chicken rolls
last weekend.

The New South Wales Food Authority has sent inspectors to the bread shop
to examine food safety practices and to sample foods for laboratory tests.

The shop stopped selling the rolls on Tuesday and is prohibited from
producing or selling the implicated foods.

It remains closed until further notice.

Authorities warn anyone who may have eaten the rolls from the bread shop
between Friday March 23 and Tuesday March 27 should be vigilant for the
symptoms of salmonella infection and seek medical care.

Common symptoms usually last four to seven days, and include nausea,
vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain.

The incubation period of salmonella gastro is six to 72 hours.

SSWAHS public health director Dr Leena Gupta warned that anyone who
contracted salmonella should stay home and not return to work or school
until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.

People suffering symptoms should not prepare food for others until at
least 48 hours after they have completely recovered from the illness.