The deadly Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak has sickened at least 34 people in 13 states and hospitalized 33, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are two deaths associated with this outbreak; one in Illinois and one in New Jersey. And the recall for Boar’s Head deli meats has been expanded.
The case count by state is: Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Maryland (6), Massachusetts (2), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), New Jersey (2), New York (12), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (1), Virginia (2), and Wisconsin (1). Sick person’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024 to July 12 2024. One person got sick during their pregnancy. The patient age range is from 32 to 94 years.
The case count numbers have not changed since the last update, but there are two significant developments: the recall expansion, and that the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria found in an unopened package of Boar’s Head liverwurst by the Maryland Department of Health and Baltimore City Health Department matches the outbreak strain with whole genome sequencing.
Boar’s Head recalled all deli products, including prepackaged deli products, in shelf life. Look for EST 12612 or P-12612 as the establishment number that is stamped inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels.
If you purchased any Boar’s Head deli meats, do not eat them. You can throw them away or return them to the store where you bought them for a full refund. Then clean your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution to get rid of any pathogens. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after cleaning and after handling these items.
If you did eat these products, monitor your health for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. If you do get sick, see your doctor.