VA Resident Dies From Listeria-Tainted Deli Meat, CDC Says

VIRGINIA — Another person is dead and several more have been sickened in connection with a nationwide listeria outbreak linked to millions of pounds of recalled deli meats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a Thursday update, CDC officials said a Virginia resident had died amid a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections. The death was confirmed just over a week after Boar's Head recalled seven million pounds of meat and poultry products linked to the outbreak.

According to the CDC, nine additional illnesses have been reported since the agency's last update on July 31. So far, the outbreak has sickened 43 people in 13 states including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely higher than the number reported," CDC officials said Thursday. "This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria."

On July 31, Boar's Head expanded a recall to include 71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. Recalled items include meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The recalled products, which were sold nationwide, include varieties of ham, bologna, bacon, sausage, hot dogs and more. The products have sell-by dates ranging from July 29, 2024 through Oct. 17, 2024. A full list of recalled products is here.

The initial recall, issued July 26, included more than 207,000 pounds of meat and came just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that several people in multiple states had been sickened after eating meats sliced at deli counters.

Eating food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. People outside these risk groups are less affected.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, and are sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

To avoid getting sick, consumers are urged to not eat the recalled products. The CDC also advises that people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system heat any deli meats to 165 degrees or until steaming hot before eating.

Health officials also recommend disinfecting your refrigerator if you stored any of the recalled products.