Another five people have died from food poisoning after eating popular processed meats sold across the country.
The victims were from Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina and had all eaten Boar’s Head products contaminated with the listeria bacteria.
In total, eight people have died during the outbreak and 57 have been hospitalized. Nearly 4,000 tons of meat has been recalled.
The CDC urges people to check labels before consuming Boar’s Head products, as some products have expiration dates extending to October 2024.
A total of eight people have died and 57 have been hospitalized in the outbreak, with nearly 4,000 tons of Boar’s Head deli meat recalled
Recalled products have the codes EST. 12612 or P-12612 in the USDA inspection mark on the product labels.
The CDC advises people who purchased the affected products to throw them away or contact the store about returning them.
Customers are urged to clean their refrigerators, containers and surfaces that have come into contact with sliced meats.
The health agency previously advised against eating processed meats unless they had been heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit — a temperature high enough to kill the bacteria.
Keeping meat cold does not eliminate listeria.
The bacteria can remain on surfaces for weeks and end up in cutting tools and countertops that are not thoroughly cleaned regularly.
Listeria, which kills about one in five people infected, is especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions.
These people have a weaker immune system, which may make them less able to fight an infection.
Symptoms may appear several days to 10 weeks after infection and initially begin with fever, chills, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
As the infection progresses, patients may experience convulsions, loss of balance, and confusion.
The bacteria can be fatal if it spreads into the blood and causes sepsis (where organs begin to fail) or if it infects the nerves and brain lining and causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain lining).
Infections can be treated with antibiotics. These are administered intravenously and can kill the bacteria.