Thurston Co. baby hospitalized amid botulism outbreak. Nationwide formula recall
A Thurston County infant has fallen ill due to botulism amid an outbreak linked to a now-recalled powdered infant formula, the county said Monday.
Thurston County shared news about the recall in a Monday news release.
“Three infants in three states have been involved in the outbreak, including one infant in Thurston County, Washington, whose reported illness led to the nationwide recall,” the release said. “All cases included in this outbreak are reported to have consumed the Nara Organics brand powdered infant formula. Nara has voluntarily recalled the formula.”
The county is advising the public to throw away or return the recalled formula. Anyone who still has a container should record the lot number before discarding it, per the release.
The three infants were hospitalized, and there are no reported deaths, the FDA reported. In addition to the local case, two other infants were affected in California and Pennsylvania, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Olympian asked Thurston County Public Health and Social Services about the status of the local infant. In response, PHSS spokesperson Renae Miller confirmed Monday that the infant was hospitalized and said no further information would be shared without the family’s consent.
Each of the infants consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula and became ill between April and May, per the FDA. Officials in two states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. The FDA contacted Nara Organics about the outbreak on June 12, and the firm agreed to recall the product the next day. In a company announcement, Nara Organics shared that the affected formula was sold at Target retail stores, target.com and nara.com from July 2025 to June 2026.
“To date, Nara infant formula has not tested positive for C. Botulinum,” the June 13 company announcement reads. “However, Nara is voluntarily recalling all products currently in the market. Nara is taking aggressive action to ensure the safety of the babies and families who use the product as we work closely with the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state partners to support their investigation into the root causes of these cases.”
If someone still has an open container, the FDA advises parents and caregivers to retain the opened formula. If an infant develops symptoms of infant botulism, the FDA says state health departments may want to test the formula.
The county recommends people wash items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled formula using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher.
Infant botulism is a rare illness that typically affects babies less than six months old, according to the county news release.
Parents and caregivers are advised to seek immediate medical care if babies who have consumed the formula and show any of the following symptoms:
- Poor feeding.
- Loss of head control.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Decreased facial expression.
Symptoms can take several weeks to develop, the release states, so parents are advised to stay vigilant.
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 4:01 PM.
