Health officials in Monongalia County, West Virginia, are investigating 16 lab-confirmed Salmonella infections, and they still do not know what made people sick. Several patients needed hospital care, though no deaths have been reported. The county, home to Morgantown and West Virginia University, is trying to learn whether the cases represent an ongoing outbreak or a cluster that has already ended.
For families in the Morgantown area, the open question is the hardest part. Without a known food, restaurant or animal source, there is no specific product to throw out or place to avoid. That leaves households relying on basic kitchen safety and on paying close attention to stomach illness, especially in young children and older relatives.
