According to press reports, Janelle Wiersma hardly remembers her 40-mile trek to Grand Rapids after her boyfriend wrapped her in a blanket and rushed to Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital earlier this month.
Wiersma, who received treatment for a salmonella infection, is one of more than a dozen Muskegon County residents affected by a recent outbreak.
The Fruitport Township resident said she became ill after eating a mixed green salad with chicken from a local eatery on Friday, Nov. 1. The dish also included Gorgonzola cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries.
“I don’t have any doubt in my mind that it came from the chicken,” Wiersma said.
Public Health – Muskegon County director Ken Kraus said on Wednesday, Nov. 13, that the agency received notice of another confirmed case of salmonella since Tuesday, bringing the total number of incidents to 16.
Kraus said health officials also confirmed that the species for one case was enteritidis, also known as Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE). Often associated with eggs and undercooked poultry, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is one of the most common types of salmonella bacteria reported worldwide.