>> A NATIONAL HEALTH ALERT TONIGHT ABOUT FLOUR THE CDC NOW SAYS IT MAY BE LINKED TO A SALMONELLA OUTBREAK IN AT LEAST 11 STATES. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IS DR ALISTAIR MARTIN, AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. >> THE C-D-C HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY SPECIFIC BRANDS OF FLOUR SO FOR NOW, HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE URGING PEOPLE NOT TO EAT OR PLAY WITH ANY UNCOOKED DOUGH OR BATTER. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE RISK? I WOULD IMAGINE ONCE IT IS COOKED, THAT IT IS FINE? >> LET’S PUT THINGS INTO CONTEXT. WHILE THIS IS THE FIRST REPORTED OUTBREAK IN 2023, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE SCALE. WE ARE TRACKING ABOUT A DOZEN ILLNESSES ACROSS 11 STATES. NO DEATHS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASES IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS AS OF NOW. IT SEEMS LIKE THE TIMING FROM THIS HAS RANGED BETWEEN DECEMBER TO MID FEBRUARY. FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN MADE ILL BY THIS PROBABLY CONSUMED FLOUR AT SOME POINT IN THAT WINDOW. THE FACTS ARE THIS. MOST PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS. IF YOU ARE USING FLOUR, RONDO, -- MAKE SURE YOU ARE WASHING YOUR HANDS DON’T EAT THE EXTRA COOKIE BATTER ON THE SPOON AND IF YOUR KIDS ARE PLAYING WITH PLATO, MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T HAVE UNCOOKED DOUGH IN IT. MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE SAFE. BUT IN GENERAL, THE RISK IS LOW. >> AS YOU KNOW, SALMONELLA IS A BACTERIA. ARE INFECTIONS GENERALLY EASY TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT? WOULD WE EVEN KNOW IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IMPACTED? >> THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. THE BIG THING FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH OUT FOR OUR DIARRHEA FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS. FEVER. THINGS TAKE IT OUT OF THE CATEGORY OF A NORMAL BUG THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ONCE A YEAR. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS AND YOU SHOULD GET CHECKED OUT AT A DOCTOR’S OFFICE. THINGS TO LOOK FOR, FEVER, BUDDY DIARRHEA AND A CONTINUATION OF THAT FOR MULTIPLE DAYS. THE TREATMENT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE TRY TO REPLACE FLUIDS. WE GIVE THEM ANTIDIARRHEA MEDICATION. THEN IN VERY SEVERE CASES, WE GIVE ANTIBIOTICS. BUT THAT’S PRETTY RARE.