Six more people have died from a listeria outbreak linked to certain Boar’s Head meat products, bringing the death toll to nine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fourteen more people have been infected, bringing the total number of people hospitalized to 57, the CDC said Wednesday. Two people in Pennsylvania and five people in New Jersey have become sick during the outbreak, which began in May when a Boar’s Head liverwurst sample from Maryland tested positive for listeria.
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The total number of people sickened by the outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be contained to states with known infections, the CDC said.
This is the largest listeria outbreak in the United States since 2011, when 147 were infected in 28 states and 33 people died from listeria in cantaloupe, according to a 2013 study.
Listeria is a foodborne bacterial illness that can be fatal to newborns, babies and people with weakened immune systems. It also can be serious for pregnant women and people over 65, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families,” reads a notice on the Boar’s Head company website. “No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness.”
Boar’s Head initially recalled liverwurst and other meat products with sell-by dates between July 25 and Aug. 30 and then expanded the recall in late July to 7 million pounds of meat, including all Boar’s Head products made at its facility in Jarrett, Virginia. Now, the CDC is warning people to check their refrigerators for any of the recalled products, including some packaged bacon, sausage and frankfurters.
All recalled products have been removed from retail outlets and are no longer available for sale, according to Boar’s Head.
At least one class-action lawsuit has been filed against Boar’s Head in the wake of the recall.