5 more people die from Listeria linked to boar head meat, CDC says

Five more people have died in the past three weeks after eating products contaminated with the Listeria bacteria linked to Boar’s Head deli meats, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths in the nationwide outbreak to eight.

A total of 57 people have been hospitalized with the bacteria causing the outbreak that began in May, the CDC said.

The company has recalled millions of pounds of meat as a result of the outbreak. The recall involves about 70 products — including ham, beef and poultry — that were produced at its Jarratt, Virginia, plant. The recall primarily affects deli-cut products, the company said in a statement on its website.

The five recent deaths include one person in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in Modern Mexico and two in South Carolina, health officials said.

These numbers make it the largest listeriosis outbreak since 2011, when at least 13 people in eight states died after eating cantaloupe infected with Listeria.

The CDC is warning people not to eat the recalled meats. Health officials are advising consumers to check their refrigerators for the recalled Boar’s Head products. (The CDC recommends looking for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA inspection mark on product labels. Some products have expiration dates that extend to October 2024.)

Listeria can live on surfaces like meat slicers and food, even at refrigerated temperatures. Symptoms usually appear within one to four weeks of ingesting the bacteria, but can take up to 10 weeks to appear, according to the CDC

Subtle symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More severe symptoms include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Every year about 1600 people Solemn Listeria infections are on the rise in the United States, according to the CDC. The bacteria occur naturally in soil and can contaminate foods such as dairy products, leafy greens, and fruits. Most people who eat the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes do not get ill, but some high-risk people, including pregnant women and people over 65 or who have weakened immune systems, can become seriously ill.