CDC: Another 5 deaths from Listeria outbreak linked to sausage products

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday that a listeria outbreak linked to sausage products had resulted in 14 new illnesses and five additional deaths.

This brings the total number of cases to 57, all of which required hospitalization, and a total of eight deaths.

The outbreak is now the largest listeriosis outbreak since the melon-related outbreak in 2011.

The five most recent deaths occurred in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina, according to the agency.

Listeria is a hardy bacteria that can survive on surfaces such as slicers and in foods even at refrigerator temperatures.

While listeria is not killed by refrigeration, the bacteria can be killed by warming food to a sufficiently high temperature before consumption.

According to CDC reports, epidemiological, laboratory and traceability data indicate that meat sliced ​​in delicatessens, including Boar's Head brand liver sausage, is contaminated with listeria and causes illness.

In some people, symptoms of listeriosis, which include fever, chills and headache, may not appear for up to ten weeks.

The health authority strongly advises against consuming the recalled sausage products and urges consumers to check whether there are any products left from the recall, as these can have a long shelf life.

Some of the products have best-before dates until October 2024, it said.