06/05/2026
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณโ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
(TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY) On Thursday, the Broome County Sheriffโs Office and the Broome County Health Department provided the public with the latest update on the coordinated response to the outbreak of Salmonella that hit the Broome County Correctional Facility in May of 2026.
๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ
After 11 days, operations at Broome County Correctional Facility have largely returned to normal, while increased medical staff remains vigilant in treating individuals recovering from Salmonella infection.
โWeโre seeing some lingering symptoms, but overall, everything is well within the right direction,โ said Dr. Jason Croad, Assistant Medical Director for PrimeCare Medical, Inc., the medical provider at the Broome County Correctional Facility. โOverall, we are looking much, much better.โ
Over the past weekend, over 120 intravenous hydration treatments were conducted, with individuals identified as high-risk by medical staff was put on antibiotics. Ten individuals were hospitalized for treatment related to Salmonella infection. To date, eight have returned from the hospital, with two still receiving treatment.
โThe response to this outbreak was fast and appropriate,โ said Dr. Lazarus Gehring, Broome County Health Department Medical Director. โAs someone who was treating patients both at the hospital and at the facility, the coordination with the community was amazing. With the amount of patients hospitalized and on antibiotics, based on history regarding Salmonella outbreaks in general and the population of the Broome County Jail from a medical standpoint, we would have expected to see some mortality in the range of 8-12 people. That is not the case thanks to all the work performed by the staff at UHS, PrimeCare Medical, Broome County Officer of Emergency Services, the Broome County Correctional Facility Staff and the Broome County Department of Health. The State Health Department noted that this is some of the best outbreak management we could have seen.โ
๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
While investigation into the infection by the Broome County Health Department is ongoing, PCR testing of meals from before, during and after the outbreak showed a positive result for Salmonella in sample of a chicken salad meal served on Sunday, May 24, 2026. No other meals have tested positive.
The Broome County Health Department investigated the preparation of this meal via security cameras, interviews and testing, identifying multiple violations related to food preparation and storage that could have led to the outbreak. The lack of temperature checks, improper storage and cooking methods, improper handwashing and hygiene practices by food service workers, along with improper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and utensils were all found to have been potential contributing factors.
โSeveral of the violations identified during this investigation are repeat violations that have previously been cited to the food vendor, particularly those involving the cooling of food,โ said Broome County Director of Public Health, Olivia Catalano. โSimilar violations were documented in June 2024 and April 2023, but whenever violations are identified, our staff provide education and corrective guidance to facility personnel. Critical violations must be corrected immediately and may result in closure if they pose an imminent public health risk. Minor violations must also be corrected within the timeframe established by the health department. Copies of inspection and complaint investigation reports are provided to the food vendor following review and discussion of the findings.โ
The Health Department will continue working with the New York State Department of Health on additional laboratory testing to determine whether the Salmonella strain identified among the inmate population matches the Salmonella detected in the chicken salad, with the results expected in the coming week.
The Broome County Health Department found no issues or concerns after investigating the water quality at the Correctional Facility.
โOur focus remains on ensuring the health and safety of those recovering from this outbreak, but we are also examining every factor that may have caused this incident and working to make sure it never happens again,โ said Sheriff Fred Akshar.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐
Sheriff Akshar also took the time to dispel recent falsehoods and unsubstantiated claims shared by major media outlets.
Video footage from security cameras around the facilities was released to refute claims of unsafe or unavailable water, lack of medical attention, laundry services and improper facility deep cleaning by Servpro. Video also shows correctional facility staff distributing pallets of additional water and electrolyte packets throughout the facility.
โThe fact is that every incarcerated person has full, unrestricted and unlimited access to clean, safe water and we have the tests to prove it,โ said Sheriff Akshar. โConservatively, we distributed over 13,000 bottles of water and over 10,000 electrolyte packets to help provide additional hydration throughout our facility.โ
โAs public servants, we have a duty to be transparent, to speak truth,โ Akshar continued. โI would beg of all of you in the Press Corps, you too have a responsibility to do that. Not focus on clicks. Not focus on likes, but focus on disseminating truthful and factual information to the public who so desperately need that.โ
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