The favored deli meat firm Boar’s Head is recalling a further 7 million kilos of ready-to-eat merchandise made at a Virginia plant as an investigation right into a lethal outbreak of listeria meals poisoning continues, U.S. Agriculture Division officers mentioned Tuesday.

The new recall contains 71 merchandise made between Might 10 and July 29 below the Boar’s Head and Previous Nation model names. It follows an earlier recall of greater than 200,000 kilos of sliced deli poultry and meat. The brand new objects embrace meat meant to be sliced at delis in addition to some packaged meat and poultry merchandise bought in shops.

They embrace liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and different merchandise made on the agency’s Jarratt, Virginia, plant.

The recollects are tied to an ongoing outbreak of listeria poisoning that has killed two individuals and sickened almost three dozen in 13 states, in accordance with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Practically all of those that fell sick have been hospitalized. Diseases had been reported between late Might and mid-July.

The issue was found when a liverwurst pattern collected by well being officers in Maryland examined optimistic for listeria. Additional testing confirmed that the kind of micro organism was the identical pressure inflicting diseases in individuals.

“Out of an abundance of warning, we determined to instantly and voluntarily broaden our recall to incorporate all objects produced on the Jarratt facility,” the corporate mentioned on its web site. It has additionally halted manufacturing of ready-to-eat meals on the plant.

The meat was distributed to shops nationwide, in addition to to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, Agriculture Division officers mentioned.

Customers who’ve the recalled merchandise of their properties shouldn’t eat them and may discard them or return them to shops for a refund, firm officers mentioned. Well being officers mentioned fridges must be completely cleaned and sanitized to forestall contamination of different meals.

An estimated 1,600 individuals get listeria meals poisoning every year and about 260 die, in accordance with the CDC.

Listeria infections usually trigger fever, muscle aches and tiredness and will trigger stiff neck, confusion, lack of stability and convulsions. Signs can happen rapidly or to as much as 10 weeks after consuming contaminated meals. The infections are particularly harmful for individuals older than 65, these with weakened immune methods and through pregnacy.

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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Academic Media Group. The AP is solely answerable for all content material.