A tenth person has died in listeria outbreak to closed a Boar’s Head deli meat establishmentfederal health officials said Wednesday.
At least 59 people in 19 states have been sickened by the bacteria first detected in liverwurst made at the Jarratt, Virginia facility. Illnesses were reported between late May and late August, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. All those who fell ill were taken to hospital.
The latest death was reported in New York, bringing the total number of deaths to two each in New York and South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.
The Sarasota, Fla.-based company announced Sept. 13 that it is closing the Jarratt plant and ceasing production of liverwurst. The moves came later inspection reports revealed problems including mold, insects, dripping water and meat and grease residue on walls, floors and equipment dating back at least two years.
Boar’s Head is facing several lawsuits related to the deaths and illnesses.
The facility has not been operating since late July, when USDA officials suspended inspections and the company recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli due to potential contamination.
Boar’s Head officials have said they “profoundly regret and apologize” for contamination in their products.
Listeria infections caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive under refrigeration. An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year, and about 260 die, according to the CDC. Infections can be difficult to determine because symptoms can appear up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.