Authorities have warned a deadly salmonella outbreak at aged care facilities across the New South Wales Illawarra may not be over, as they wait for confirmation of more cases.
As of Tuesday, the salmonella outbreak across southern NSW and the ACT has affected 27 people since February 11.
Two people from Illawarra aged care facilities died after being transferred to hospital.
The director of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Health District’s Public Health Unit, Curtis Gregory, said the unit was interviewing patients and staff, and doing tests to track the source.
He said while the spread of the outbreak had slowed, it was unlikely to be over yet.
“We’re still wary of actually saying that it is coming to an end or closing because we still have a number of suspected cases,” he said.
“We’re relying on picking up cases with patients who may have a history of diarrhea over that period and having them tested to rule them in or out, and we are relying on a pathology confirmation of salmonella.”
Mr Gregory said initial investigations into salad as the source of the food poisoning have expanded.
“It may be feasible that it’s caused by lots of other things on the menu, including cakes, pies, meat, vegetables and several other things,” he said.
The NSW Food Authority has confirmed it investigated a wholesale bakery at Unanderra and temporarily closed it down.
Spokesman Peter Day said the bakery rectified hygiene and pest control issues then reopened on Thursday.
“We are not saying that is linked to the outbreak and it’s just a coincidence that we found some issues there,” he said.