Santa Fe – A salmonella outbreak in New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma has been linked to young birds from a hatchery in New Mexico, health officials said Friday.
The New Mexico Department of Health said it’s working with Colorado health officials to investigate the outbreak.
Nine people, seven of them children, have been diagnosed with infections.
Six of the confirmed cases were in children 5 years or younger who had contact with baby birds from the New Mexico hatchery. Three cases were Colorado infants.
The New Mexico Department of Health said it would not identify the hatchery until the investigation is completed.
Health officials said there have been three salmonella cases in New Mexico – in Taos, Roosevelt and Curry counties.
Poultry can shed salmonella in their feces. Health officials said thorough hand- washing following contact with the fowl is important to prevent infection, which occurs when contaminated food, hands or other objects are placed in the mouth.
