The following is a Department of Health press release:

Four Washington residents were sickened as part of the multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections linked to frozen, ground raw tuna announced today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The four ill people include residents of Grays Harbor (1), King (2) and Spokane (1) counties. All have recovered and none were hospitalized.

In January and February, state and local health officials and the Washington State Department of Agriculture gathered information about the illnesses and products eaten. Federal partners used laboratory information to link Washington cases to cases in other states. They also worked to pinpoint the source of the tuna. On April 15, 2019, Jensen Tuna Inc. recalled the product that may be contaminated with Salmonella Newport.

Though the most recent case in this outbreak happened in January, public health officials in Washington are reminding the public of the risks from eating raw or undercooked fish and shellfish. This includes food containing raw or undercooked seafood such as sushi, sashimi and ceviche. These foods are especially risky for certain groups of people (older adults, children, pregnant women and the immunocompromised).

Symptoms of Salmonella can include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, the infection can be fatal. Infants, young children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system are at greatest risk.