BRUSSELS, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 150 people have fallen ill and over 30 hospitalized in a countrywide outbreak of salmonellosis in the Netherlands, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said Wednesday.

    From the beginning of August until Oct. 20, 152 new cases were reported of an antibiotic-resistant strain of the salmonella bacteria; and between five and 10 new cases are being reported every week, compared to the normal figure of two, said the institute.

    Cases are distributed throughout the country, and no travel-related cases have been reported. The source of the infection has yet to be determined, but it could be pork products, the institute said.

    According to the RIVM, the strain, Salmonella Typhimurium phagetype DT104, is resistant to a range of antibiotics.

    There have been two Salmonella Typhimurium outbreaks in the Netherlands so far this year, the RIVM said.

    A nationwide outbreak in March, in which 27 cases were reported, was likely associated with cream cheese of a specific brand; while another regional outbreak in June was related to a local butcher and led to 18 cases being reported.

    Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.

    The illness usually lasts several days and most people recover without treatment. However, for the elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems, infection could lead to severe symptoms and even death.