Salmonella outbreak tied to cantaloupe sickens 10 people in Wisconsin. Fruit sold by Kwik Trip, Aldi.

A deadly outbreak of salmonella linked to cantaloupes sold by outlets such as Kwik Trip and Aldi has infected people in Wisconsin long-term care facilities, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Wisconsin has at least 10 confirmed cases of salmonella linked to the multi-state outbreak, some of whom are residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities, according to an email sent Tuesday by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Wisconsin now has the second highest number of cases tied to the outbreak, behind Minnesota, where at least 14 people have fallen ill, two of whom have died, according to the latest available information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nationwide, at least 117 people in 34 states have been sickened by the food-borne illness as of Nov. 30, including 61 who required hospitalization, according to the latest information from the CDC.

The true number of people sickened in the outbreak is likely much higher, as some people may not have been tested for salmonella or recovered at home. It also can take three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of the outbreak, the CDC says.

In Tuesday's email, Wisconsin health officials urged long-term care facilities, along with child care centers and hospitals, not to use recalled whole or pre-cut cantaloupes and not to serve any cantaloupe that was supplied pre-cut if they did not know whether the recalled cantaloupes were used.

They were also advised to wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have come in contact with recalled cantaloupes.

Elderly people, along with children younger than 5 and people with weakened immune systems, are more likely to become severely ill from salmonella, according to the CDC. Nationwide, at least 14 people part of the outbreak lived at long-term care facilities when they got sick, the CDC said.

Tuesday's email did not specify which long-term care facilities had infected residents or exactly how many long-term care residents in Wisconsin had fallen ill.

Kwik Trip issued recall for fruit cups, trays that used recalled cantaloupes

The first national recall of some cantaloupes was issued on Nov. 8, according to the CDC. That recall has since been expanded to other cantaloupe products.

On Nov. 27, Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip recalled some pre-cut cantaloupe and fruit cups.

Kwik Trip determined that cantaloupes initially recalled by produce company TruFresh were used in 6-ounce fresh-cut fruit cups and 16-ounce fruit trays sold by Kwik Trip with sell-by dates between Nov. 4 and Dec. 3, according to the recall notice. The fruit cups and trays were distributed to Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Stop-N-Go, Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery, and Tobacco Outlet Plus convenience stores in Wisconsin and five other states.

According to the recall notice, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the cantaloupe products recalled by Kwik Trip.

Other cantaloupe products reportedly sold in Wisconsin stores and recalled for possible salmonella contamination include:

• Whole fresh cantaloupes with a label that says “Malichita” or "Rudy," “4050" and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique”
• Aldi cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with best-by dates between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31
• Bix Produce 5.75-ounce Created Fresh! cantaloupe Grab N’ Go fruit cups, Created Fresh! Grab N’ Go mixed fruit cups, and Jack & Olive mixed fruit cups with sell-by dates of Oct. 25 and 26

Federal and state health officials advise people not to eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupes were used.

They say to throw away or return to the store any recalled cantaloupes or cantaloupe-containing products.

They also advised anyone with severe symptoms of salmonella infection to call their doctor, including:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees
• Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Sign of dehydration, such as dry mouth and throat and feeling dizzy when standing

Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after eating contaminated food and include fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps, according to the CDC. Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days, the CDC says.

Contact Sarah Volpenhein at svolpenhei@gannett.com or 414-607-2159. Follow her on Twitter at @SarahVolp.