August 1, 2020 9:00 a.m.

State health officials are warning people not to eat onions from Thomson International of Bakersfield, California after 76 people in 13 Oregon counties fell ill with matching strains of Salmonella bacteria.

Eighteen of the cases have been hospitalized, and none have died.

Epidemiologists at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division said the Oregon cases are part of an outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people in about 40 states, as well as consumers in Canada. An OHA release said U.S. and Canadian public health officials implicated consumption of red onions and the federal Food and Drug Administration traced the onions to Thomson International. The release said although red onions are the likely source, Thomson will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have been cross-contaminated.

Each year, 400 to 500 cases of salmonellosis are reported in Oregon. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps one to seven days after exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.