Walmart is recalling an aromatherapy spray after a "rare and dangerous bacteria" was found that can cause a potentially fatal condition, with investigators looking into two deaths so far.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested Walmart's Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones and found Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria, which can cause a potentially fatal condition called melioidosis.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the CDC has been investigating four confirmed cases of the condition in Kansas, Minnesota, Texas and Georgia, along with two deaths, including one child fatality.
The CDC did not confirm the source of the four infections, but noted that a bottle with the same type of bacteria was found in the home of one of the melioidosis decedents.
Consumers with the aromatherapy spray should immediately stop using the product, double bag the bottle in clear zip-top reusable bags, place in a cardboard box and return to any Walmart store for a full refund, the CDC advised.
Officials warned to not open the bottle nor attempt to throw away or dispose of the spray. Walmart will also provide customers with a $20 gift card upon return.
"I urge consumers to stop use of the recalled products and follow CDC’s guidance in returning them to Walmart stores," CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said in a statement. "The CPSC worked with Walmart to get a recall into place within days of learning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the dangerous bacteria found in a bottle of the room spray and the possible connection to deaths and illness."
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The room spray was sold at 55 Walmart locations nationwide and online from February to October 2021 for about $4, according to a release. A label reading “Better Homes and Gardens Aromatherapy" is printed on the front of the 5-ounce glass bottle.
The following were the scents and product numbers:
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- 84140411420 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender & Chamomile
- 84140411421 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lemon and Mandarin
- 84140411422 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender
- 84140411423 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Peppermint
- 84140411424 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lime & Eucalyptus
- 84140411425 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Sandalwood and Vanilla
For more information, consumers should contact Walmart at (800) 925-6278 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. or online.
