County of San Diego health officials reported three more cases of salmonella linked to unpasteurized or "raw" milk products from a producer in Fresno on Wednesday, bringing the total number of local cases to 12.
Three of the 12 people were hospitalized, according to the county Health and Human Services Agency.
The cases began in late September with products from Raw Farm LLC, with the most recent person falling ill on Oct. 17, the HHSA said.
The California Department of Public Health on Tuesday posted a recall of Raw Farm milk and heavy cream with "best by" dates between Oct. 11 and Nov. 6. This recall is not connected to the salmonella illnesses traced to Gills Onions products.
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"The county recommends that people who have products from this company in their homes dispose of them immediately," said Dr. Seema Shah, medical director of the county's Epidemiology and Immunization Services branch. "It's also important for anyone sick to seek medical care.
"People who are ill, and those that live with them, should wash their hands frequently to avoid contaminating surfaces and foods that could spread the disease," Shah said.
The illnesses have been caused by salmonella bacteria, commonly found in human and animal intestines. The San Diego County residents who became ill have reported consuming Raw Farm products the week before their illness onset. The cases range in age from 1 to 41 years old. Three of the 12 were hospitalized, all of which were children.
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Raw or "natural" milk has not gone through the pasteurization process that heats the milk to a high temperature for a short period of time to kill harmful germs that can contaminate raw milk. Pasteurization is the only effective method for eliminating most harmful germs in raw milk or milk products and does not significantly change dairy's nutritional value, a county statement read.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against the consumption of raw milk and related products. People most at risk for severe illness are adults 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years of age and individuals with weakened immune systems.
"People infected with salmonella generally develop bloody or watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting and headache approximately six hours to six days after consuming contaminated foods," the county statement reads. "The illness typically lasts for 4-7 days. In some cases, people may develop severe illness that leads to hospitalization."
The HHSA is working closely with the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, to continue investigating illnesses associated with raw milk and milk products.
