A 10th person has died in the listeria outbreak that shuttered a Boar’s Head deli meat plant, federal health officials said Wednesday.
At least 59 people in 19 states have been sickened by the bacteria first detected in liverwurst produced at the Jarratt, Virginia, facility. Reports of illness span from late May to late August, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All affected individuals required hospitalization.
The latest fatality occurred in New York, raising the death toll to two in both New York and South Carolina, with one death each reported in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico.
The Sarasota, Florida-based company announced on September 13th that it would close the Jarratt plant and cease liverwurst production. This decision followed inspection reports revealing numerous issues, including mold, insects, dripping water, and residual meat and fat on walls, floors, and equipment—problems that had persisted for at least two years.
Boar’s Head now faces multiple lawsuits stemming from the outbreak-related deaths and illnesses.
Operations at the plant have been halted since late July, after officials from the U.S. Agriculture Department suspended inspections. The company subsequently recalled over 7 million pounds of deli meats due to potential contamination.
Boar’s Head officials have issued statements expressing their regret and deep apologies for the contamination of their products.
Listeria infections are caused by a resilient type of bacteria capable of surviving and even thriving in refrigeration conditions. According to the CDC, approximately 1,600 people contract listeria food poisoning annually in the United States, with around 260 resulting fatalities. The infection’s symptoms can be challenging to link to a specific source, as they may not appear until up to 10 weeks after the consumption of contaminated food.
