Thu Sep 26 13:29:40 UTC 2024: ## Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak Claims Tenth Life, Plant Remains Closed

**NEW YORK, NY** – A New Yorker has become the tenth victim of the listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed. This latest fatality comes as the agency warns the true number of cases is likely much higher due to the extended incubation period for listeria.

Since May, at least 59 people across 19 states have been infected with listeria, contracting the illness from products manufactured at the company’s Jarratt, Virginia plant. The plant remains closed after a liverwurst recall was expanded to encompass all its products in July.

The recent death brings the total number of fatalities in New York to two. South Carolina has also reported two deaths, while Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico have each recorded one death connected to the outbreak.

The CDC emphasizes that listeria symptoms, which include muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and convulsions, can take up to 10 weeks to appear. The agency urges consumers to check their kitchens for recalled products, identified by the USDA inspection mark “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” on labels and sell-by dates extending into October 2024.

The outbreak has prompted Boar’s Head to permanently shutter the Jarratt plant. The decision followed the release of U.S. Department of Agriculture documents detailing unsanitary conditions at the facility, including mold, insects, and food residue on equipment. The company has stated its commitment to implementing a company-wide food safety program.

“This is a dark moment in our company’s history,” Boar’s Head said in a statement, “but we are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger.”

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