CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health says twelve cases of salmonella in Cook and surrounding counties may be linked to raw tomatoes.
A spokeswoman cautions that the state is still doing tests to verify the link.
Spokeswoman Melaney Arnold says 8 of the cases are among men and that most of them are in their 20s and 30s.
The salmonella poisoning outbreak has been reported in Illinois and eight other states - and some health officials say the salmonella infection is linked to raw tomatoes.
It was late last week when the Illinois Department of Public Health started getting reports of what looked like salmonella poisoning, says spokeswoman Melaney Arnold.
Lab tests in Texas and New Mexico have confirmed 40 cases of salmonella - and have linked the cases to large, raw tomatoes.
Officials in Illinois, Indiana and five other states have reported at least 30 cases of salmonella poisoning - and are trying to see whether there's a link to raw tomatoes.
In the meantime, the state health department is recommending that people make sure they do what they should already be doing: wash tomatoes and any other raw fruits and vegetables. And refrigerate them after they're sliced.
Arnold says none of the Illinois cases is hospitalized.
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