Mexico closes cantaloupe plant temporarily amid deadly salmonella outbreak

Mexico’s government said Friday it temporarily closed a cantaloupe processing plant while investigating the source of a salmonella contamination that has killed at least nine people in the U.S. and Canada.
Mexican health officials said they ordered the temporary suspension of activities at the plant in the northern state of Sonora after two visits, in which they took samples from surfaces and water which are pending results.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Canada’s public health agency (PHAC) have reported at least nine deaths between both countries and hundreds of illnesses from salmonella since October. Four deaths were reported by the CDC. Five were reported by PHAC, according to Canadian media.
Health authorities in both countries have implicated Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes as the sources of the outbreak and issued recalls of the fruit. Malichita did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Rudy could not immediately be reached.