VIDEO-Source of Listeriosis outbreak confirmed
The listeriosis outbreak has claimed the lives of 180 people.
THE source of the listeriosis outbreak has been traced the Ministry of Health announced at a press briefing on Sunday. Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said the source has been traced to a food facility in Polokwane. The source was confirmed at midnight by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
The listeriosis outbreak has claimed the lives of 180 people while 948 laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported to the NICD since last year.
“The source of the present Listeriosis outbreak has been traced to the Enterprise factory in Polokwane and it tested positive for ST6 strain. Another factory is a factory in Sasolburg, Free State where polony tested positive for Listeria, but the strain is unconfirmed,” he said. “A total of 93 people which is 85 per cent of those infected who were interviewed by the NICD report to have had polony and other cold meats.”
Read also: Listeriosis-Extra caution required for newborns
Minister calls for South African to avoid all cold meat products such as Viennas, frankfurters, sausages #Listeriosis pic.twitter.com/46lb6VQ2oD
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) March 4, 2018
Minister Motsoaledi: For those at home, they can use bleach to disinfect their homes #Listeriosis
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) March 4, 2018
Motsoaledi said the National Consumer Commission will conduct a recall of products distributed locally and internationally.
The recall of food products is for the companies Enterprise and Rainbow foods #Listeriosis
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) March 4, 2018
Listeria is a bacterium that is naturally found in the environment. It commonly occurs in soil, water, vegetation and in the faeces of some animals. It can contaminate a wide variety of food types, including meat and meat products, dairy products both unpasteurised and pasteurised, fresh and frozen produce and ready-to-eat products.
Listeriosis outbreak: 5 key steps to eating ‘safer’
Although anyone can get Listeriosis, those at high risk of developing severe disease include newborns, the elderly, pregnant women, persons with weak immunity such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, chronic liver or kidney disease.
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