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What to know about listeria
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Listeriosis is an infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
A third person has died in connection to a listeria outbreak that has been linked to a recall of Boar’s Head deli meats, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release on Thursday.
The additional death happened in Virginia, the CDC said. The other two deaths were in New Jersey and Illinois. The CDC also said nine more cases were reported since a July 31 release about the outbreak, which started in late May.
The recall was issued after samples that were tested by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for bacteria that causes listeria.
RELATED: Boar’s Head recall expands: 7 million more pounds of deli meats linked to listeria outbreak
Which products are impacted by the recall?
The recall includes meat intended to be sliced at delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold in stores.
They include liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products made at the firm's Jarratt, Virginia, plant.
For a full list of affected products, click here.
Some of the recalled Boar’s Head product labels are pictured in provided images. (Credit: USDA)
Where was the meat sold?
The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, Agriculture Department officials said.
How many people have gotten sick?
The recalls are tied to an ongoing outbreak of listeria poisoning that has killed three people and sickened over four dozen in 13 states, according to the CDC.
Nearly all of those who fell ill have been hospitalized. Illnesses were reported between late May and mid-July.
What should consumers do?
Consumers who have the recalled products in their homes should not eat them and should discard them or return them to stores for a refund, company officials said.
Health officials advised that refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination of other foods.
What are the symptoms of Listeria?
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches, and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Symptoms can occur quickly or take up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.
The infections are dangerous for people older than 65, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people, who can have miscarriages.
This most recent outbreak includes people aged 32 to 94, with a median age of 75. One pregnant person got sick, but retained the pregnancy, officials said.