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Video: Nearly 300 people in 17 states have been sickened by a serious salmonella outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken processing plants in California, and the Centers for Disease Control says there may be many more instances that have gone unreported. NBC’s Tom Costello reports. Please, see, News Report presented by JoNel Aleccia, NBC News

According to CDC, as of October 7, 2013, a total of 278 persons infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 17 states.
42% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Most ill persons (77%) have been reported from California.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by local, state, and federal officials indicate that consumption of Foster Farms brand chicken is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections.
As of October 7, 2013, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) issued a due to concerns that illness caused by Salmonella Heidelberg is associated with chicken products produced by Foster Farms at three facilities in California.
This investigation is ongoing. USDA-FSIS is prepared to take additional actions or expand the investigation based on new evidence.
The outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg are resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics. This antibiotic resistance may be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.
It is not unusual for raw poultry from any producer to have Salmonella bacteria. CDC and USDA-FSIS recommend consumers follow food safety tips to prevent Salmonella infection from raw poultry produced by Foster Farms or any other brand.