Federal officials said that one person has died from salmonella poisoning that seems to be related to ground turkey. The government has not yet released the name of the responsible party. A recall has not been issued.
Seventy-six people in 26 states have become ill from the same strain of salmonella. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said that the strain is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics.
The CDC has not released details about the death but said Monday that cultures of ground turkey from four retail locations revealed contamination between March 7 and June 27. Three of the samples were linked to the same production establishment, the CDC added.
The Agriculture Department, which oversees meat safety, issued an alert about the illness late last week and urged consumers to cook their turkey thoroughly in order to decrease risk.
The USDA has not answered questions as to why there has not been a recall.
Michigan and Ohio saw 10 illnesses each and nine others were reported in Texas. Illinois suffered seven illness, California six, and Pennsylvania five.
Common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. The most at-risk group are those with weakened immune systems, young children, and the elderly.