Over 7.2 million pounds of deli meat was thrown out in recent weeks due to the multi-state listeria outbreak that caused hospitalizations and death.
Boar’s Head has recalled 71 products since July 26, and is currently facing legal action in multiple states, including at least one class action lawsuit. Regionally, the outbreak temporarily closed many delis for a deep cleaning.
The Center for Disease Control has an active investigation into the outbreak.
So where does the listeria outbreak stand now? Here’s what to know.
How many people have become sick from the deli meat listeria outbreak since July?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced last week that at least one more death and 10 new hospitalizations have occurred since late July, as a result of the outbreak. This information was released in the latest CDC update on Aug. 8.
How many people got sick, or died as a result of the outbreak?
As a result of the initial outbreak in July, at least three people died. Another 40 people were hospitalized across 13 states, which spawned multiple lawsuits, according to the CDC.
As a result of the outbreak, the following states were affected:
What is listeria?
According to the CDC, “Listeria are bacteria that can contaminate many foods. People who eat those foods can get infected with Listeria. The infection is called listeriosis. Listeria are most likely to sicken people who are pregnant and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.”
The CDC added that estimates that listeria is the “third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.”
USA Today contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: What’s the status on the Boar’s Head listeria recall? What to know.
Source Agencies
