The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an update on Wednesday about the multistate listeria epidemic that resulted from Boar’s Head deli meat. The outbreak has claimed the lives of six additional people and sickened over a dozen others.
Since the outbreak, which the CDC claimed was the greatest listeriosis epidemic since 2011, when more than 30 people died from contaminated cantaloupe, nine people have died and 57 people have been hospitalized. Eighteen states have reported cases of the pandemic.
Boar’s Head recalled their Strassburger Brand Liverwurst on July 25 due to worries that the product may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Its factory in Jarratt, Virginia, manufactured the meat.
A few days later, the business announced that 7 million pounds of meat—everything produced at the facility—were included in the recall.
In an update on August 15, Boar’s Head stated, “Food safety is our absolute priority, and the health and well-being of our consumers are paramount.” “We sincerely apologize for the hardship this recall has caused the impacted families. There are no adequate words to convey how deeply and sincerely we sorrow for individuals who have lost loved ones or faced illness.”
Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, South Carolina, Illinois, New Jersey, and Virginia are the states where the deaths have happened. With a median age of 77, the sick patients ranged in age from 32 to 94.
According to data, listeria was present in meat slices from delis, including liverwurst sold under the Boar’s Head brand. The CDC stated that hands, food, deli equipment, and surfaces are easy places for the infection to spread. Chilling doesn’t destroy them.
The Mayo Clinic lists fever, chills, pains in the muscles, nausea, and diarrhea as symptoms. The symptoms of a listeria infection that affects the neurological system might include headaches, loss of balance, and stiff necks. For those over 65, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems, listeria can be extremely dangerous.
