NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two people are dead and 768 are ill due to a nationwide Salmonella outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The CDC recently posted updates regarding two separate outbreaks – one linked to contact with poultry in backyard flocks and one linked to contact with pig ear dog treats.
The CDC websites says: The people who got sick reported getting chicks and ducklings from places such as agricultural stores, websites, and hatcheries.
This would explain why 24% of the cases are children under age 5. They're not eating the poultry, they're buying pets.