GEORGIA, — It's been over a month since a listeria outbreak caused a massive recall of Boar's Head deli meats, with nine people dying from the infection; here in Georgia, numbers have stayed stable.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this outbreak is the largest in the US since 2011, forcing Boar's Head to recall over seven million pounds of deli products. 11Alive reported in July that only two people had been infected across the Peach State, and that number has remained the same.
A CDC map shows what states have been identified with infections and how many people have been infected:
- 1 to 2 people per state: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin
- 3 to 4 people per state: Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Virginia
- 5 to 6 people: New Jersey
- 7 to 8 people: Maryland
- 17 to 18 people: New York
More on the listeria outbreak
Listeria infections are caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year, and about 260 die. Infections can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms may occur quickly—or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.
The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those who are pregnant or those with weakened immune systems.
The problem was discovered when a Boar’s Head liverwurst sample collected by health officials in Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further testing showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses in people.
What to know about the Boar's Head deli meat recall
Boar’s Head officials originally recalled liverwurst and other products meant to be sliced in retail delis with sell-by dates from July 25 to Aug. 30. On July 29, the recall was expanded to include all foods produced at the firm’s plant in Jarratt, Virginia. The products included those sliced at deli counters and some prepackaged retail sausage, frankfurters and bacon.
Boar's Head officials said on the company's website that all the recalled deli meats have been removed from stores and are no longer available. The products were distributed to stores nationwide and to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, U.S. Agriculture Department officials said.
CDC officials urged consumers to check their refrigerators for the recalled products. Look for EST. 12612 or P-12612 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. Some of the recalled foods have sell-by dates that extend into October. Discard recalled foods and thoroughly clean and sanitize the refrigerator and other surfaces they touched.