A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Food Safety Alert update regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections has been posted at https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24.html.
Key points:
- Since the last update on August 8, 2024, 14 more illnesses have been reported bringing the total to 57. All 57 people have been hospitalized and 9 deaths have now been reported.
- The 6 new deaths include one from Florida, one from Tennessee, one from New Mexico, one from New York and two from South Carolina.
- This is the largest listeriosis outbreak since the 2011 outbreak linked to cantaloupe.
- Everyone should check their homes for any remaining recalled Boar's Head products since they can have a long shelf-life. Look for "EST. 12612" or "P-12612" inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. Some of the products have sell-by dates into October 2024.
- 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.
