On Thursday, August 8th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that a third person had died due to a listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head Deli meats. The latest fatality occurred in Virginia, following earlier deaths in Illinois and New Jersey. The outbreak, which began in May, has now resulted in 43 confirmed illnesses across 13 states, with all individuals requiring hospitalization. The deceased ranged in age from 32 to 94 years old, highlighting the severity of this health crisis.
The listeria outbreak has been traced to a Boar’s Head facility in Jarratt, Virginia, where contaminated deli meats, including liverwurst, were produced. The Maryland Department of Health detected the first signs of the outbreak after testing an unopened package of the product. As a result, Boar’s Head issued a recall of seven million pounds of meat, a significant increase from the 200,000 pounds initially recalled when the illnesses were first reported on July 26.
The CDC continues to advise consumers to clean their refrigerators and any surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled products. Additionally, supermarkets nationwide have been instructed to remove Boar’s Head signage from deli counters and thoroughly clean all equipment and surfaces to prevent further contamination. Despite these efforts, the outbreak has sparked widespread concern among consumers, leading to declining sales of Boar’s Head products in local stores.
Legal action is already underway, with at least three lawsuits filed against Boar’s Head and retailers that sold the contaminated products. One notable case involves an elderly couple from Missouri, where the wife, Sue Fleming, 88, became seriously ill after consuming Boar’s Head liverwurst. The lawsuits allege that Boar’s Head failed to adequately warn customers about the risks associated with their products.
Boar’s Head, a family-run business with a 119-year history, has not yet commented on the outbreak. The situation remains fluid, with the CDC and other health agencies closely monitoring the developments as they work to contain the outbreak and prevent additional cases.
