A 10th person has died due to the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak. Another 59 individuals across 19 states have been hospitalized.
This latest fatality occurred in New York, per The Associated Press. This brought the total deaths to two each in both New York and South Carolina. One person each has died in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico.
10th Person Dead Due to Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak
On September 13, Boar’s Head announced that it was closing its Jarratt plant. They have also discontinued their production of liverwurst. This came after an inspection revealed a long list of problems in the plant, including mold, insects, dripping water, and meat and fat residue on walls.
Boar’s Head is facing multiple lawsuits that are related to the deaths and hospitalizations. They have recalled over 7 million pounds of deli meat due to potential contamination. Boar’s Head officials have stated that they “regret and deeply apologize” for the incident.
Listeria infections are the result of bacteria that can survive – and even thrive – in cold temperatures. Per the CDC, around 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year. Sadly, 260 of those people end up dying.
Because symptoms occur up to 10 weeks after the consumption of contaminated food, listeria infections can be extremely difficult to diagnose.