At least nine people have died in connection with a listeria bacterial outbreak from Boar’s Head deli meats that led to a major recall across the United States, federal health officials said in an update last week.
The new food poisoning deaths include two in South Carolina and one each in New York, New Mexico, Florida, and Tennessee, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update on Aug. 28. Three deaths were previously confirmed in Virginia, Illinois, and New Jersey, officials said.
Some 57 people have been hospitalized in connection with the listeria outbreak, the CDC said, adding that they were first reported in late May and have persisted into August.
Infections have been reported in 18 states, including New Mexico, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and Arizona, the agency said.
“Recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak,” the CDC said. “The true number of sick people in this outbreak is also likely higher than the number reported.”
Boar’s Head said in July that it recalled more than 7 million pounds of meat products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Documents posted by the agency reported that mold and insects were found at a Boar’s Head facility connected to the outbreak and recall.
The meats under recall are mainly the type of meats that are found sliced to order at delis, the firm has said. But “some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations” were also recalled.
The CDC warns people who may have bought the recalled meats that they should look for products with labels reading “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” in the USDA mark of inspection. The products may have sell-by dates into October, it adds.
Boar’s Head has posted a complete list of the recalled products on its website. The USDA has also posted images of the recalled products’ labels online.
Consumers are advised to discard the recalled foods and thoroughly clean and sanitize their refrigerators or any other surfaces that meat products may have touched, according to the CDC.
This is because, the agency said, listeria “is a hardy germ that can remain on surfaces, like meat slicers, and foods, even at refrigerated temperatures.”
“It can also take up to 10 weeks for some people to have symptoms of listeriosis,” the agency warned.
People who are at a higher risk of being infected with listeria include pregnant women, people aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. A listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to complications, including premature delivery, stillbirth, and miscarriage, or a life-threatening infection in the newborn child.
Those with a more serious infection may experience a headache, stiff neck, confusion, convulsions, loss of balance, fever, and muscle aches.
An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning every year, and about 260 die, according to the CDC.
Federal Agency Says Rules Broken
A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia violated federal regulations, including by having instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors, and equipment, according to the newly released records.Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules in the past year, including several in recent weeks, in documents released through federal Freedom of Information Act requests.
Inspections at the plant have been suspended, and it will remain closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials said in a statement on Aug. 29. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in late July.
The Epoch Times contacted Boar’s Head for comment. The company said in a statement sent to multiple news outlets, “As soon as we learned of a health risk with our liverwurst, we immediately recalled it and then, out of an abundance of caution, voluntarily expanded our recall to include every product made at the same facility.”
“We have paused production at this facility in Jarratt, Virginia, and will not resume until we are confident that it meets the standards our customers expect and deserve,“ the company said. ”Consumer health and wellness are, and always have been, our top priorities.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
