The latest CDC update on the ongoing listeria outbreak tied to Boar's Head deli meat has shown a slowing of reported illnesses and deaths, the agency said Wednesday.
One new death, two new hospitalizations and a case of illness in one new state have been recorded since the last CDC notice on Aug. 28, bringing the total numbers to 59 sick, including 10 dead, across 19 states.
The new death occurred in New York, making it the second in the state, said officials. The outbreak also spread to Louisiana, where one hospitalization has now been reported.
Boar's Head has recalled 71 products since July 26, equating to about 7.2 million pounds of deli meats. The brand is also facing legal action, with at least one class-action suit on the books as of early August. The family of one victim, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor from Virginia, previously spoke to USA TODAY about his death and plans to take legal action.
According to the CDC, 59 people have been sickened across 19 states by a listeria outbreak linked to sliced deli meat, killing 10.
The map shows where the 59 people in the listeria outbreak lived. The deaths occurred in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina. New York has reported the most cases at 17.
Boar’s Head initially announced a recall for 207,528 pounds of liverwurst and other deli meats on July 26, followed by an expanded recall on July 30 to include over 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.
In a July 30 statement from the company, Boar’s Head said that it initiated the expanded recall of all products produced at its Jarratt, Virginia facility after it learned that its Strassburger Brand Liverwurst had been linked to the national listeria outbreak.
Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat liverwurst products recalled
Other Boar’s Head deli meat products
Boar’s Head also recalled all deli products made at the Jarratt facility, including prepackaged deli products. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.
Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant people.
According to the USDA, symptoms include:
People in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food, said the USDA.
