Be INFORMED

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Salmonella Outbreak:475 Persons Infected...

    as of Sunday,January 18,2009.

   CDC

As of 9PM EDT, Sunday, January 18, 2009, 475 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 43 states and Canada.

Preliminary analysis of data received as of 9PM, Sunday, January 18, reveals an association with consumption of any pre-packaged peanut butter crackers, and specifically with Austin and Keebler peanut butter crackers. Austin and Keebler peanut butter crackers are produced by Kellogg Company. On January 14, 2009, Kellogg Company put a precautionary hold on these peanut butter crackers, and on January 16 recalled these products. Other peanut butter containing products produced by a variety of companies may have been made with the ingredients recalled by PCA. CDC and state health departments continue to investigate the association of other brands and foods that contain peanut butter with illness.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health Laboratory and the Georgia Department of Agriculture independently isolated Salmonella from unopened 5-pound containers of King Nut brand peanut butter. Further tests are pending to determine if this Salmonella is the outbreak strain.

Clusters of infections in several states have been reported in schools and other institutions, such as long-term care facilities and hospitals. King Nut is the only brand of peanut butter used in those facilities for which we have information.

The list of peanut butter and peanut paste containing products that may be affected is still being determined and is incomplete at this time. However, the list of currently recalled products can be found on the FDA website*.

The White House Has A New Look

  That would be the WhiteHouse.gov website and you are encouraged to check it out. As is with most of the Obama administrations changes, the website has been totally changed and brought into the 21st century.

   The home page:

Welcome to the new WhiteHouse.gov. I'm Macon Phillips, the Director of New Media for the White House and one of the people who will be contributing to the blog.
A short time ago, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States and his new administration officially came to life. One of the first changes is the White House's new website, which will serve as a place for the President and his administration to connect with the rest of the nation and the world.
Millions of Americans have powered President Obama's journey to the White House, many taking advantage of the internet to play a role in shaping our country's future. WhiteHouse.gov is just the beginning of the new administration's efforts to expand and deepen this online engagement.
Just like your new government, WhiteHouse.gov and the rest of the Administration's online programs will put citizens first.

   Many of the sites pages and features are not showing to much, if anything, but that will change in quick fashion, I'm sure.