From Aug. 6-9, Perryville, Mo.-based Perry County Memorial Hospital has reported at least 23 cases of Salmonella.
Of these cases, three required acute hospital admission; two short term hospital observation and treatment; and one case was transferred to another hospital. The other patients are recovering at home.
The hospital's laboratory director reported the influx of cases to local and state health officials.
"The local health department began immediately preparing the investigation of this outbreak and will be handling the evidence that will hopefully determine the source and/or causation of the illnesses," hospital officials said. "The state laboratory will receive culture samples of the infected patients to conduct their epidemiological investigation."
Although the local health department is conducting studies and interviews with patients to find the outbreak's source, hospital CEO Patrick Carron told KRCU he does not think the source is anything large or central, such as water.