The Public Health Agency of Canada says it has established a link between a recent outbreak of salmonella and a brand of frozen raw breaded chicken products sold primarily in eastern Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall Wednesday of Harvest Creek Chicken Nuggets with a best-before date of Oct. 11, 2018. The nuggets are sold in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Quebec, but the federal agency says they may have also been sold in other regions.

The salmonella outbreak was first reported on March 15.

The Public Health Agency said there are currently 30 cases of illness — two in Alberta, 17 in Ontario, seven in Quebec and four in New Brunswick — and several people reported eating Harvest Creek Chicken Nuggets before getting sick.

The federal agency said its investigation is ongoing, and more products linked to the outbreak could be identified.

While the risk to Canadians is low, illness can be avoided if safe food handling, preparation and cooking practices are followed when preparing poultry, the agency said.

What to do with the product

Anyone who has come into contact with the recalled product is advised to wash their hands with soap and warm water immediately.

The product should be secured in a plastic bag and thrown out, or returned to the store where it was purchased. Do not use or eat the recalled product.

Anyone who does not have the original packaging of a frozen raw breaded chicken product and is unsure whether it is included in the food recall warning should throw it out just to be safe.

Who gets sick?

Anyone can become sick with a salmonella infection. However, infants, children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness.

Most people who become ill from a salmonella will fully recover after a few days.

It's also possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and not get sick or show any symptoms but still be able to spread the infection to others.

Food contaminated with salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick, the agency warned.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.