info@outbreaktools.ca 
Thursday June 11 – OICC call #5
Two new isolates were added to this cluster (2005NEWWGS-1ON-MP) in PulseNet Canada’s weekly whole genome sequencing (WGS) summary reports posted to CLSN. This brings the confirmed case count to eighteen.
Quebec notes that their new case (QC-17) has an illness onset of May 18 and British Columbia notes their new case (BC-18) has an illness onset of May 19. Both of these cases have illness onsets before the products were recalled. Quebec and British Columbia also note that based on the initial interview by the local public health authority, both cases reported consuming chia seeds. QC-17 could not recall the brand of chia seeds consumed. BC-18 reported consuming “Smile” brand chia seeds. You request permission to re-interview these cases for additional information, such as determining if any additional lot codes of chia seeds could be implicated. Quebec notes that their case asked not to be contacted again. British Columbia notes that they will contact the local public health authority for case contact information for the re-interview.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reports that the recalled products had limited distribution and all of the products in stores have been recalled. CFIA is completing effectiveness checks (inspections of randomly chosen stores that received the product to ensure that there is no recalled product on the shelves).
Samples from the two cases’ homes have both tested positive for Salmonella. Whole genome sequencing information is pending for these samples. CFIA is currently testing product from the implicated lots, as well as previous and subsequent lots of both products.
The National Enteric Surveillance Program (NESP) reports that numbers are within expected levels for Salmonella Newport across all provinces and territories for the week of May 31 to June 6, suggesting that there may be no additional cases to come that match by WGS.
During the OICC call, the partners agree that it is time to decide on a date when the outbreak can be declared over and take the necessary steps to close the investigation.