Seven weeks after announcing that two Minnesotans had been killed and two others had been sickened in a multistate Listeria outbreak linked to prepackaged, commercially prepared caramel apples, the Minnesota Department of Health says no new cases have been identified in that state.
At least 32 people in 11 states have been sickened in the outbreak. Seven people have died. The states reporting cases in the outbreak are: Arizona, California, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The age range for case patients spans nine decades and includes three pediatric cases of Listeria meningitis, three premature births, one fetal loss and six other cases related to pregnancy. A lawsuit has been filed one behalf of a woman and her newborn baby who was born with a Listeria infection.
Health officials have linked the outbreak to contaminated apples produced by Bidart Brothers of Bakersfield, Calif. There have been several recalls for commercially prepared caramel apples and for Gala and Granny Smith apples form Bidart sold under other brand names including Granny’s Best and Big B.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not issued an update on the outbreak since January 10.
