Washington state now accounts for 16 of the 22 illnesses in the multistate Salmonella outbreak tied to recalled broccoli sprouts, and the county breakdown has shifted since the state's first advisory. Spokane County has risen to three cases and Skagit County to two, while Island County appears for the first time, according to the Washington State Department of Health. King County, which contains Seattle, remains the largest single county at four cases.
The revised distribution puts nearly three-quarters of the known outbreak inside one state, spread across both sides of the Cascades. Whatcom County has three cases, and Snohomish, Walla Walla and Yakima counties have one each. Two Washington residents have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported anywhere in the outbreak.
For households in the Seattle metro area and eastern Washington, that geographic spread is the practical point. This is not a single restaurant cluster. Cases appear in communities hundreds of miles apart, which reflects how far a single grower's product travels through co-ops, grocery stores, restaurants and delis where the brand on the package is rarely visible to the person eating the sandwich.
Recall Size and a Package That Matched the Outbreak Strain
Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC of Moyie Springs, Idaho, began recalling broccoli sprouts in early September after a Montana sample tested positive, and the company later recalled 215 cases of product, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its latest investigation update. The recalled product was sold in plastic bags and clamshell containers with expiration dates of 9/7, 9/9, 9/11, 9/14 and 9/16.
The laboratory evidence here is unusually direct for a produce outbreak. Montana officials collected an unopened package of broccoli sprouts from a sick person's home, and whole genome sequencing showed it carried the same Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain infecting patients. That removes most of the guesswork that normally surrounds traceback in fresh produce investigations.
Interview data point the same way. Of 19 people interviewed, all 19 reported eating sprouts and 17 reported specifically eating broccoli sprouts. By comparison, 8.7% of respondents in the CDC's FoodNet Population Survey report eating any kind of sprout, a gap wide enough that investigators treat it as strong evidence rather than coincidence.
Sequencing also found no predicted antibiotic resistance in bacteria from 18 patient samples. One sample showed predicted resistance to streptomycin, sulfisoxazole and tetracycline, which the CDC said is unlikely to affect the choice of antibiotic for most patients. Most people with Salmonella recover without antibiotics.
Distribution Confirmed in Three States, Illness Reported in Four
The recalled sprouts were sold to grocery stores, food co-ops, restaurants, and food service customers in Idaho, Montana and Washington. Cases have been confirmed in those three states plus Utah. The Food and Drug Administration notes that the product may have been distributed further, reaching additional states.
That mismatch is worth understanding rather than alarming over. A confirmed Utah case with no confirmed Utah distribution can mean a resident traveled, bought the product elsewhere, or that a shipment moved through a distributor not yet captured in traceback. The FDA says its investigation into the source of contamination is ongoing and that it is still determining whether additional products are affected.
Illness onset dates run from July 7 through August 26, which means the earliest patients became sick roughly two months before the recall. The CDC cautions that "the true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported," because many people recover without seeking care or testing, and confirming an outbreak case usually takes three to four weeks. The agency has published a chart of when people in this outbreak got sick.
Patients range in age from 2 to 87, with a median age of 48. Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe illness requiring hospitalization.
Practical Steps for Kitchens and Restaurants
Washington's advice is unambiguous: "Do not eat any recalled Broccoli Sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC."Throw them out or return them. Any container, cutting board or counter that touched the sprouts should be washed with hot, soapy water or run through a dishwasher.
Rinsing sprouts does not solve the problem. Bacteria can multiply inside the sprouting process itself, in the warm, humid conditions seeds need to germinate, which is why federal guidance has treated raw sprouts differently from other produce for decades. Cooking is the step that meaningfully reduces risk.
Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the germ and typically include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, with most people recovering in four to seven days without treatment. Anyone with diarrhea plus a fever above 102 degrees, diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, bloody diarrhea, vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration should contact a clinician promptly.
MedicalDaily previously reported on the initial state warnings issued before any recall, and on the CDC's announcement of the multistate investigation. What has changed since is the Washington county distribution, the recall volume, the sequencing results, and the confirmation that the state carries most of the known burden.
The case count is likely to move before it settles. Officials in Washington, Montana, and Idaho continue interviewing patients, and the FDA has not identified how contamination occurred at the facility. Anyone who ate the product and feels well needs no testing or treatment.
Developing Story Timeline
September 11, 2026: CDC updates its investigation page with sequencing results, the 215-case recall volume, and patient demographics. Washington posts revised county counts totaling 16 cases.
September 10, 2026: Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC recalls 215 cases of broccoli sprouts.
September 9, 2026: CDC and FDA announce the multistate investigation, reporting 22 cases across four states.
September 4, 2026: The grower begins recalling product after a Montana sample tests positive for Salmonella.
September 2, 2026: Washington and Montana publish advisories describing 13 Washington illnesses with no recall in place.
Key Questions Answered
Which counties in Washington have cases? King has four, Spokane three, Whatcom three, Skagit two, and Island, Snohomish, Walla Walla, and Yakima have one each, for 16 total.
What product is recalled? Broccoli sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC in plastic bags or clamshells with expiration dates of 9/7, 9/9, 9/11, 9/14, and 9/16.
Is this the same outbreak as the alfalfa sprout recall? No. The CDC says this outbreak does not appear related to the separate alfalfa sprout outbreak traced to Everything Sprouts, LLC in Minnesota.
Why are there cases in Utah if product was not distributed there? Officials have confirmed distribution only in Idaho, Montana, and Washington but say product may have reached other states. The FDA traceback is ongoing.
Can washing sprouts make them safe? No. Bacteria can multiply inside the sprouting process, and rinsing does not reliably remove them. Cooking is what reduces risk.
When should someone call a doctor? For diarrhea with a fever above 102 degrees, diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, bloody diarrhea, persistent vomiting or signs of dehydration.
Will the case count rise? Likely. Confirming an outbreak case takes three to four weeks, so recent illnesses are not yet counted.
