Ten people, including a 10-year-old child, fell ill last year after eating undercooked bear meat at a North Carolina barbecue, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed.

In November 2023, 10 unidentified people experienced flu-like symptoms and facial swelling after an investigation by the North Carolina Division of Public Health linked the patients to an earlier gathering in which undercooked bear meat was served.

It was determined the illnesses were the result of a trichinellosis outbreak.

BEAR MEAT FOR DINNER? FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO PREVENT PARASITIC INFECTION, CDC SAYS

Trichinellosis is a “rare parasitic disease” – with only about 15 confirmed cases each year – often associated with the consumption of wild game meat, according to the CDC.

“These parasites infect animals such as bears, cougars, walruses, foxes, wild boars and domestic pigs,” the Mayo Clinic said on its website. 

“You get the infection by eating the immature form of the roundworm (larvae) in raw or undercooked meat.”

Of the 35 attendees at the gathering, 22 reported eating undercooked bear meat — while 10 of them, the youngest of whom was 10 years old, showed symptoms of being sickened by trichinellosis, the CDC noted in its report.

Among the 10 patients, nine had facial swelling, six had muscle pain and four had documented fever, the CDC said.

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“When humans eat raw or undercooked meat containing trichinella larvae, the larvae grow into adult worms in the small intestine,” the Mayo Clinic detailed. 

“This takes several weeks. The adult worms produce larvae that travel through the bloodstream to different parts of the body. They then bury themselves in muscle tissue.”

The parasitic larvae found in bear meat can grow into adult worms in a person’s small intestine. (iStock; Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC)

Although the report didn’t specify what type of bear meat was served, black bears are common hosts for trichinella larvae, the CDC said.

Cooking game meat to a safe internal temperature – 165° Fahrenheit – will kill the parasites and prevent infection, the CDC said.

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Earlier this year, six people became sick from eating undercooked bear meat that was served at a family reunion in South Dakota, Fox News Digital previously reported.

Black bears are common hosts for trichinella larvae, the CDC said. (iStock)

A 2022 trichinellosis outbreak associated with undercooked bear meat harvested from Canada resulted in six cases, according to the CDC, including two people who only ate vegetables and were infected by cross-contamination.

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Fox News Digital contacted the North Carolina Division of Public Health and CDC for additional comment.

MORGAN CO., Ala. (WAFF) – One truck has shipped off and two more trailers are filling up to be shipped off to help even more people affected by storm damage from Morgan County.

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Posse began collecting donations just one week ago. Just one week later the semi-truck trailer was overflowing and it was shipped off to North Carolina.

Sammy Lawrimore from the posse says many areas are still in need after Hurricane Helene and since Milton was not as bad as they expected these other trailers may be sent to Tennessee or Georgia.

Lawrimore adds that he is so proud of his community and it feels good to help those in need.

“It’s been awesome. There are about five of us here every day with the sheriff’s posse. We have really worked hard to get this done. The community has really come together if it wasn’t for them it wouldn’t be possible,” said Lawrimore.

Project Unify has been on site aiding in hurricane relief. Cody Michael with Project Unify says he and some of his team plan to go to Florida to help out there but they will not leave Georgia until their work is done.

He is hoping that more volunteers will step up and they will have enough to have crews in each state.

“We do we are going to be here at least through the weekend. There are a lot of people here that still need help, there are a lot of homes in dire need. But we are looking at probably Sunday night to Monday we will transition down to Florida and be down on the coast,” said Michael.

The Sheriff’s posse will continue to take donations at any of these drop-off locations.

• Weavers Bait and tackle in Hartsel
• Summerville Town Hall
• The Morgan County Jail
• Pizza Ed’s
• Fredricks OutdoorsSheriff’s

Cash donations can be brought to any of the drop-off zones or you can call 256-502-0463 to arrange to have them picked up.

Project Unify is looking for all kinds of help, from monetary donations to volunteers, to prayer. To find out how you can help out Project Unify click here.

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WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) — As Western North Carolina nears two weeks since Helene hit causing widespread destruction, the recovery and cleanup efforts are still a huge undertaking.

Aerial Recovery is a non-profit made up of veterans and first responders that go to natural disasters all over the country and are now in Western North Carolina. Seth Griffith with Aerial Recovery says, “What we found is veterans and first responders work really well in disaster response. We have skills that we learned in the military we are not afraid to work. We’ve been doing everything from reconnaissance missions in remote areas, to extract people that need to get out.

Griffith says they’ve been getting medical supplies in remote areas along with basic living necessities.

“If we can give them a heater, a generator, bring them food, just talk and be human with them for 10 minutes, pray with them.” He stresses the importance of working with local authorities. “Work along with them, not by ourselves. We want to be a force multiplier, not be the tractor, or come in like cowboys and take over, it’s not our show, we want everyone to work with us aiding and assisting alongside.”

Dee Pitzer is one of the homeowners who needed help. “I’m still kind of stuck because I can’t get out down there.” The rain and mud from Helene washed out a large chunk of not only the road in front of her home but her entire driveway.

“The water on the road was waist deep. It was just coming in so fast no one could stand up in that, so I just stood up on the porch and prayed.”

Volunteers with Aeriel Recovery brought in skid steers to try and make navigating out of their Garren Creek neighborhood easier. Justin Foles with Aerial Recovery explains what they’re doing, “We are trying to make sure the road is nice is smooth. It’s really just a quality-of-life type thing, so they can get in and get out. If we can we try and put some culverts in that way the water has a place to flow and not just up and over the driveway to erode it even further if any more rain comes in.”

Another homeowner along the road Van Smith says the outpouring of support hasn’t stopped including visits from the National Guard and law enforcement, who all brought big smiles to his 4-year-old grandson, Oliver when they let him get in their vehicles and escape from all of the destruction around his home.

“We are getting a lot of help. Gotta give your hats off to all of these guys they’ve been super good. Everyone pulling together and making it happen we have to.”

Randy West and his wife also received help from the volunteers. During Helene, two mudslides brought the trees down, some narrowly missing his house.

“That’s all we lost is the back door. We are so fortunate to have this place after everybody around us lost their lives. Their homes, their driveways. We are so fortunate,” West tells ABC11.

A crew with Aerial Recovery surprised West Thursday. Foles said, “We want to make their life a little bit better, give them everything they want and need.”

Crews spent hours cutting up all of the fallen trees that blocked access to his spring, which is also his source of water. After they finished the job, West said, “It helped a lot. They cut me a trail right here to get up to my spring. I cannot thank that crew enough for showing up.”

Just before the crew left, West let them in on a little surprise, “Y’all don’t realize this, but that is my birthday today and this is the best present I could have gotten, “West said.

Aerial Recovery says they will be in Western North Carolina as long as there is a need.

SEE ALSO | 11 members of same family killed when mudslide wiped out ‘Craigtown’ during Hurricane Helene

ALSO SEE | Brothers stranded by Helene walk 13 miles through thick mud, washed-out roads