Medical Officer of Health Dr. Richard Schabas gave the board of health an update December 9 on the recent salmonella outbreak. Schabas said that salmonella interditus was identified a month ago in the community.

The source of the disease is usually traced to poultry, cattle or occasionally people. But a little detective work tracked this particular outbreak to beansprouts from a distributor in Toronto. It had hit the age group of 20 to 29 particularly hard, with three cases in the Quinte area and 15 in Kingston.

When the supplier was identified on November 23, production was stopped at the plant the next day. On November 25 the Ministry of Health issued an advisory for the public not to eat beansprouts, an advisory which still stands. He estimated there were 500 cases across the province. The investigation by the Ministry is not yet complete.

"Wash beansprouts and cook them to reduce infection," he recommends.