Listeriosis outbreak declared over
The last six months saw the collaborative plan being rolled out to control and end the outbreak that left 164 people dead.
GROCERY stores and residents have been given the green light to once again stock processed meat on shelves and pack them in lunch boxes.
This comes almost six months after polony and other ready-to-eat processed meats were declared no go areas by the Department of Health.
“A team of World Health Organisation (WHO), international and local experts [have] agreed that because no cases of listeriosis due to the outbreak strain have been identified since the first week of June 2018 and that over the last two months the incidence rate of laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases has dropped to pre-outbreak levels, the outbreak of listeriosis is over,” said Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
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While processed meats were officially given the clear at a media briefing on Monday, Motsoaledi warned the public that listeria is still a reality.
“Today’s announcement means that ready-to-eat processed meat can now be safely consumed as before the outbreak. This does not mean that people will no longer suffer from listeriosis – remember, listeriosis has occurred in South Africa for the past 40 years. The NICD has shown us that there are between 60-80 cases of listeriosis every year in South Africa for the past 5 years,” said Motsoaledi.
The last six months saw the collaborative plan being rolled out to control and end the outbreak that left 164 people dead.
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