Listeria Lawyer Looks at Three Ongoing Listeria Outbreaks:
In a recent update of the FDA’s CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, a new Listeria outbreak was announced along with an update on the two already existing Listeria Outbreaks linked to salads products. This new listeria outbreak has many health officials worried as 13 laboratory-confirmed cases have been linked to the outbreak strain and the source of the outbreak has yet to be discovered. The announcement of the investigation is new and very little information has been disclosed regarding the outbreak at this time, which leads many to view the two most recent listeria outbreaks for speculations on how the new outbreak may play out.
According to listeria lawyer Ron Simon, the two most recent listeria outbreaks were announced in the December of 2021, the investigations on both outbreaks are still ongoing at this time. Although the outbreaks were announced near the same time frame and both were caused by pre-packaged salad products, different brands were named as the sources of the outbreaks. The two companies linked to the existing outbreaks are Fresh Express and Dole, which both issued recalls on a large number of their pre-packaged salad products due to potential listeria monocytogenes contamination. The companies distributed the contaminated products throughout the US from November of 2021 to January 2022.
As a food poisoning lawyer, Ron Simon noted that this is not the first time that Fresh Express has been linked to foodborne outbreaks in the last few years, pointing to the Cyclospora outbreak linked to pre-packaged salads which sickened more than 700 people.
Fresh Express Listeria Outbreak
The Listeria outbreak linked to Fresh Express salads was first discovered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture identified the outbreak strain in a bag of Fresh Express Sweet Hearts Romaine Lettuce Sweet Butter Lettuce packaged salad collected from a grocery store during routine sampling. As of December 21, 2021, 10 illnesses have been reported with the outbreak strain, all of which required hospitalization. According to the CDC, one resident from Pennsylvania died due after being linked to the outbreak.
Doel Listeria Outbreak
In the most recent update of the Listeria outbreak linked to Dole salads, 17 illnesses were reported as laboratory-confirmed cases with the outbreak strain. More than 75% of the illnesses caused by the Dole salads were severe enough to warrant hospitalization. In the most recent report of the outbreak released on February 1, 2022, the CDC stated that sadly two of the people who were diagnosed with the Listeria strain of the outbreak died due to complications of their conditions. In the most recent investigation, Health Department Officials found listeria on equipment used to harvest iceberg lettuce used in the salads. Through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) conducted by the FDA, it was discovered that the Listeria on the equipment matched the outbreak strain.
Infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can be very serious and sometimes life-threatening. According to National Listeria Lawyer Ron Simon, the symptoms of listeria can include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. In more serious cases it can spread to the nervous system and cause headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and at times convulsions. Mr. Simon and his firm have decades of experience helping thousands who have been wronged and suffered due to foodborne illnesses, such as listeria, he also provided this advice:
“Victims who have symptoms such as fever or stiff neck may consult a physician, and there are options in cases of suspected Listeriosis for a blood or spinal fluid test.”
For more information on the three ongoing Listeria Outbreaks, to speak a National Listeria Lawyer, or to inquire about a Listeria Lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.
https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks
https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/packaged-salad-12-21-b/details.html
https://www.nbc15.com/2022/02/09/wisconsin-resident-dies-listeria-outbreak-linked-lettuce/
