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<span style="font-weight: bold">Georgia is among the 42 states that have been struck with a salmonella outbreak</span>, with five people taken ill and one requiring hospitalization, officials said Thursday.
The ages of the Georgians that have become ill range from 7 to 73, and the cases occurred in five different counties, said Taka Wiley, spokeswoman for the state Division of Public Health.
Wiley said the cause of the outbreak remains unknown but that state officials are working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify it.
A total of about a dozen people have been hospitalized and about 400 have been sickened by the salmonella outbreak over 42 states. The CDC is leading the investigation but has yet to release a full list of states.
Ohio health officials have reported at least 50 people in 18 counties have been sickened by salmonella bacteria since October. Other states with cases include Minnesota and California.
Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
Officials say steps to protect against the illness include careful handling and preparation of raw meat, and frequent hand washing.
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