In January and February of 2005, public health officials in the United States and Jamaica were alerted that a large number of guests staying at the Beaches Sandy Bay resort in Jamaica had become ill with Salmonella infections. A joint Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Jamaican Ministry of Health (JMH) investigation led to the identification of 70 residents of 12 states who had visited the resort and become ill with Salmonella infection.
The joint CDC and JMH investigation revealed that the consumption of cheeseburgers – specifically the cheese used on the cheeseburgers - and eggs were associated with illness among Beaches resort visitors. In a joint report, the two agencies stated, “We discovered that this block of cheese, covered in loose saran wrapping, was frequently stored in the same kitchen refrigerator where the container of pooled eggs was kept.”
Marler Clark represented individuals who became ill with Salmonella infection after eating foods contaminated with Salmonella at the Beaches resort.