Federal health officials announced Wednesday that a 10th death has occurred in a listeria outbreak that forced the closure of a Boar’s Head deli meat plant.
At least 59 people in 19 states have become sick from a bacteria that was first detected in liverwurst made at a plant in Jarratt, Virginia. The illnesses were reported between late May and late August, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All of the sickened people were hospitalized.
The latest death was reported in New York, bringing the death toll to two each in New York and South Carolina, and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.
The Sarasota, Florida-based company announced on September 13 that it would close the Jarratt plant and stop producing liverwurst, after an inspection report revealed problems dating back at least two years, including mold, insects, water spots and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.
Boar’s Head faces multiple lawsuits related to deaths and illnesses.
The plant has not been operating since late July, when U.S. Department of Agriculture officials halted inspections and the company recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meat due to potential contamination.
Boar’s Head officials said they “regret and deeply apologize” for the contamination of their products.
Listeria infections are caused by a hardy bacterium that can survive and thrive even when refrigerated. According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year, and about 260 die from it. Identifying an infection can be difficult, as symptoms can appear up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.
