SEATTLE — 10 people from Washington and Oregon have been infected in an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis linked to Papa Murphy's as of May 1, according to state health officials.
According to the CDC, the illnesses began from December 6, 2022, to March 1, 2023.
Washington state currently has six cases involving people ages 15 to 54 years old, all from six separate counties. The counties include Clark, King, Lincoln, Pierce, Spokane and Whatcom. Only one person has been hospitalized.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, the state is investigating four cases of people aged 20 to 57. None of the Oregon cases were hospitalized.
The Food Safety Law Firm, which is investigating the outbreak, said the consumption of raw cookie dough and s'mores bar dough sold by Papa Murphy's was "significantly associated" with the Salmonella outbreak. Papa Murphy's, headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, has discontinued the sale of raw cookie dough at this time.
State and local health officials are interviewing the people that were infected. Of the eight people interviewed so far, most reported eating raw cookie dough or batter.
The Washington State Department of Health advises people not to eat any Papa Murphy's raw cookie dough or s'mores bars dough and to throw away the product.
The CDC estimates that Salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million infections and 26,500 hospitalizations in the United States every year.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, symptoms typically appear one to three days after exposure and can include:
- Diarrhea that can be bloody
- Fever
- Chills
- Abdominal discomfort
- Occasional vomiting
Symptoms can last four to seven days and usually resolve on their own with fluids and rest. Children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
