A wave of stomach-sick residents and visitors has swept across Long Island’s East End this month, with dozens of people coming down with symptoms that public health officials say are consistent with salmonella. Area emergency departments have been busier than usual as patients arrive with diarrhea, vomiting, fever and severe stomach pain. Most of those treated so far have been evaluated, received care and then discharged home.
According to News 12 Long Island, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital officials said the emergency department has seen a total of 58 patients since July 1. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services told reporters it is collecting information on an outbreak along the East End, and the New York State Department of Health and the Town of Southampton both referred questions back to the county.
What Salmonella Is and How It Spreads
Salmonella is a bacterial infection most often spread through contaminated food or water, including raw or undercooked eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, unpasteurized dairy products and, at times, produce or untreated water. Symptoms usually show up within 12 to 72 hours after exposure and can include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and headache. Most illnesses last only a few days, but infections can be especially serious for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Public health guidance on symptoms, how it spreads and when to seek medical care is summarized by the CDC.
Where Patients Were Treated
Many of the people reporting salmonella-like symptoms have turned up at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital on the South Fork, which has been handling a large share of the recent cases. The hospital, at 240 Meeting House Lane in Southampton, serves as the primary acute care center on the East End, and officials told local reporters that the majority of patients evaluated in the emergency department were treated and discharged. Local public health investigators are working with clinicians to gather patient histories and test samples in an effort to pinpoint a common source.
How To Protect Yourself
Health officials advise anyone with severe or persistent symptoms to contact a health care provider, stay well hydrated and avoid preparing food for others while they are sick. Clinicians may order stool tests to confirm salmonella infection, and reporting suspected cases to the local health department helps investigators track where people may have been exposed and better protect the community, according to the CDC. Simple precautions, including thorough handwashing, cooking animal products to safe internal temperatures and steering clear of unpasteurized dairy or untreated water, can lower the risk of infection.
At this point, county officials have not publicly identified a specific source for the illnesses, and the investigation remains ongoing. This story will be updated as Suffolk County or state health authorities release more details about test results, possible exposure sites or steps being taken to contain the outbreak.
