Listeria outbreak in Boar's Head linked to 5 new deaths and hospitalizations

Five more deaths and 14 new hospitalizations have been reported as a result of the multi-state listeria outbreak in Boar’s Head, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

Listeriosis infections from the recalled deli meats have caused at least 57 hospitalizations, including eight deaths, in 18 states since the CDC investigation began July 19, according to health officials.

These figures are up from an August 8 report that counted 43 hospitalizations, including three deaths, in 13 states.

Of the five new deaths, one occurred in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico and two in South Carolina. Infections have also been reported in five other states since the beginning of August, including Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Boar’s Head has recalled 71 products since July 26, amounting to about 7 million pounds of deli meat. The brand is also facing legal action, with at least one class-action lawsuit pending as of early August. The family of one of the victims, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor from Virginia, previously spoke to USA TODAY about his death and their plans to take legal action.

The human cost: Her father died from listeria associated with Boar’s Head meat. She needed to share her story.

Which Boar’s Head products are being recalled?

Boar’s Head initially announced a recall of 207,528 pounds of liverwurst and other sausages on July 26, followed by an expanded recall on July 30 to include more than 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

In a July 30 company statement, Boar’s Head said it initiated an expanded recall of all products produced at its Jarratt, Virginia, facility after learning that its Strassburger brand liverwurst had been linked to the nationwide listeria outbreak.

Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat Liverwurst Products Recalled

Produced between June 11, 2024 and July 17, 2024, and have a shelf life of 44 days.
“Boar’s Head Strassburger brand liver pie made in Virginia”
3.5-pound loaves wrapped in plastic or packages of various weights cut into slices in retail stores
Expiration dates range from July 25, 2024 to August 30, 2024.

Other charcuterie products from Boar’s Head

Boar’s Head also recalled all deli products, including prepackaged deli products. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels.

Listeria outbreak in several states has killed five more people since early August

Five additional deaths, 14 hospitalizations and five new states were added to the CDC’s outbreak case count since the last wave of reporting on August 8.

According to CDC data, the ages of those infected range from 32 to 94, with a median age of 75. The eight deaths occurred in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina.

CDC and USDA are currently aware of 18 states with infections as a result of the outbreak.

These states include:

New York: 17
Maryland: 8
New Jersey: 5
Virginia: 4
Massachusetts: 3
Florida: 3
Missouri: 3
Georgia: 2
South Carolina: 2
Minnesota: 1
Wisconsin: 1
Illinois: 1
Pennsylvania: 2
North Carolina: 1
Indiana: 1
Arizona: 1
New Mexico: 1
Tennessee: 1

Symptoms of listeriosis or listeria poisoning

Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection, most often caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially for older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.

According to the USDA, symptoms include:

Fever
Muscle pain
Headache
Stiff neck
Confusion
Loss of balance
Seizures
Diarrhea
Other gastrointestinal symptoms
Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and/or life-threatening infection in newborns
Death

People in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of consuming contaminated food should seek medical attention and inform their health care provider about consuming the contaminated food, the USDA said.

What to do to stay safe

CDC recommends that people who are pregnant, over 65, or have weakened immune systems take extra precautions to avoid getting sick.

People at risk should do the following:

Do not consume recalled deli meats. Throw them away or contact the stores to inquire about returns.
Also, don’t eat any other type of cold cuts you buy pre-sliced at the deli counter unless you’ve reheated them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot. Let them cool before eating.
- Listeria It can grow on foods stored in the refrigerator, but is easily eliminated by heating the food to a sufficiently high temperature.
Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have come in contact with cut meats.
- This is especially important if you purchased any of the recalled deli products.
Call your health care provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:
- People who are not pregnant often experience fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. They may also experience headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
- Pregnant women often experience fever, muscle aches and fatigue. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns.

Breaking

Listeria outbreak in Boar’s Head linked to 5 new deaths and hospitalizations

ByS. Jacob

Which Boar’s Head products are being recalled?

Listeria outbreak in several states has killed five more people since early August

Symptoms of listeriosis or listeria poisoning

What to do to stay safe

By S. Jacob

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