A NetCost Market listeriosis outbreak in Brooklyn, New York has sickened at least three people, according to a health alert from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The three patients have clinical isolates that are highly related by whole genome sequencing (WGS). All three patients live in Brooklyn.
And all three patients purchased ready-to-eat food from the deli counter at the same NetCost Market which is located at 3100 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. NetCost management is working closely with the Health Department and New York State Agriculture and Markets to make sure that the deli area is safe for consumers.
If you bought food from that deli counter before September 5, 2021, do not eat it, even if some has been consumed and no one has been sick yet. It can take up to 70 days for the symptoms of listeriosis to appear, and not every bit of a food may be contaminated with this pathogen. After you discard the food clean your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution to kill any bacteria, since Listeria monocytogenes can grow at fridge temperatures.
The patients are all over the age of 50 years. Diagnosis dates for these patients range from June 30, 2021 to July 20, 2021. All three patients have been hospitalized. No deaths are associated with this cluster.
Officials have collected food and environmental samples from the facility, and test results found bacteria that were “highly related to the NYC clinical isolates by WGS.”
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with food poisoning, you can contact lawyer Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Noted food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients in listeriosis lawsuits against delis, grocery stores, and food manufacturers, said, “No one should get sick and be hospitalized just because they bought something at a deli for lunch. We hope that no one else has been sickened in this outbreak.”
Listeriosis is a reportable illness. All healthcare providers should consider this infection when evaluating people who said they ate food from a deli counter before they got sick and present with fever, diarrhea, and other symptoms consistent with a Listeria monocytogenes infection.
This infection has a long incubation period. People who are more likely to become seriously ill include the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with a compromised immune system or chronic illness such as diabetes. Symptoms can include a high fever, stiff neck, muscle aches, and serious and severe headache. These symptoms can be preceded by nausea and diarrhea. Pregnant women may only feel mildly ill what they they think is the flu, but this infection can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, premature labor, and severe infection in the newborn.
If you have eaten food purchased at that deli and have been ill with those symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this NetCost Market listeriosis outbreak.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with a Listeria monocytogenes infection after eating deli food from the NetCost Market in Brooklyn, New York, please contact our experienced attorneys for help at 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
