A new death has been reported in an outbreak of deadly Boar’s Head Listeria infection, bringing the tragic death toll to three, with nine more people infected since millions of pounds of the popular deli meat were recalled last month. Centers for Disease Control It was announced on Thursday.
The latest deaths in Virginia follow deaths in Illinois and New Jersey from a contaminated meat outbreak that began in May, the department said. The ages of those killed ranged from 32 to 94.
Meanwhile, 43 people across 13 states are now infected, all of whom are hospitalized, and countless others are likely infected but have not yet reported symptoms.
Most people have no access to medical care and no bacteriological testing. Food Poisoning Journal report.
Boar’s Head, a 119-year-old family-owned company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, did not immediately comment.
The company recalled 7 million pounds of meat last week, more than the 200,000 pounds it removed from shelves when the outbreak was first reported on July 26.
The Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, was identified as the source of the outbreak, which was first detected after the Maryland Department of Health tested an unopened package of liverwurst.
The company said in a statement on July 30 that it had learned from the USDA that Strasburger brand liver sausages have been “linked to an outbreak of deli meat Tristeria monocytogenes infections in the country. Based on this new information, we have taken steps to do everything we can to protect the public health.”
The expanded recall on July 31 includes: 71 products listed Visit the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service website.
At least three lawsuits have been filed against Boar’s Head and the grocery stores that sell its products, including a class-action lawsuit filed by a Queens customer who claims Boar’s Head failed to adequately warn customers about the safety of its products.
An elderly couple in Missouri also filed a complaint, alleging that the wife, Sue Fleming (88), was hospitalized after becoming ill after eating Boar’s Head liverwurst.
Meanwhile, supermarkets are being advised to remove Boar’s Head signs from their deli counters “until further notice,” according to a memo sent by the National Supermarkets Association to its 750 members and seen by The Washington Post.
A Bronx supermarket owner said sales of Boar’s Head products have declined at his local stores.
“Our deli staff are being questioned about products,” the owner told The Post.
The CDC is advising consumers who have purchased the recalled products to clean their refrigerators and “any surfaces that may have come into contact with the product.”
Food retailers have been advised to close deli counters to allow for deep cleaning of equipment and surfaces that could cross-contaminate other products.
