Contaminated deli meat may have led to deaths in South Carolina, health officials say

A national Listeria outbreak involving contaminated deli meat might have contributed to two deaths in South Carolina, the state Department of Public Health said Wednesday in a news release.

As a result, South Carolina health officials are urging residents to avoid recalled Boar’s Head deli meat, according to the release.

Information about the victims, and where they lived was not available, but the S.C. Department of Public Health said the deaths happened in the state’s Lowcountry region.

“Unfortunately, an outbreak of Listeria has reached our state, and is potentially the cause of two deaths here,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said in the release. “We want to ensure South Carolinians are aware of this outbreak and that everyone takes necessary steps to avoid consuming products that could be the source of infection.”

Data shows that some meats sliced at delis, including Boar’s Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with Listeria and are making people sick, the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat Liverwurst Products and other deli products from the same processing plant have been recalled, according to the release.

As of Aug. 8, the Listeria outbreak had led to 43 hospitalizations and three deaths — not counting the two recent deaths in South Carolina — across 13 states, the CDC said.

Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older or who have weakened immune systems, according to the release.

Listeria symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating contaminated food but could start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after, the CDC said. The symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and tiredness, and also could be manifest in a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures, according to the CDC.

Both the S.C. Department of Public Health and the CDC said to avoid Listeria, residents should not eat recalled meats.

“Throw them away or contact stores about returns,” officials said.

Additionally, officials recommend checking refrigerators for any recalled deli meats and throw them away or return them to the store as Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator.

Officials also said to clean refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have touched recalled meats.

Delis that received recalled meats should thoroughly clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and throw away any open meats and cheeses in the deli, according to the release.