LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- About 388 people fell ill after eating food tainted with salmonella, local media reported on Wednesday.

    About 70 percent of the patients have been sent to hospitals for treatment, Bloomberg News said, quoting health officials.

    The outbreak affected 42 states, David Daigle, spokesman for the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said.

    He said the center is cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to identify the source of the outbreak.

    Salmonella, a commonly known bacteria in food, can cause diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps from 12 to 72 hours after infection and usually lasts four to seven days.