Panic as dozens die in listeria outbreak
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa is at the centre of a public health scandal after a meat producer was blamed for an outbreak of listeria that has killed at least 180 people.
Four African countries have recalled Tiger Brands’ processed meat and sausages after nearly a thousand people became infected.
Listeria is a bacterium that can be found in ready-to-eat foods such as cooked sliced meats, smoked fish, cooked shellfish, soft mouldripened cheeses, pate and prepared sandwiches. It can also live in fridges and dirty kitchens, infecting other food. Babies, pregnant women and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, with symptoms including a high fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Aaron Motsoaledi, the South African health minister, has told expectant mothers to avoid eating processed meat ‘‘like the plague’’.
The World Health Organisation said the outbreak was the worst on record.
Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where there are many South Africanowned supermarkets, have issued product recalls, and border officials have been told to confiscate any processed meats. The government has told people to return meat to supermarkets to be destroyed, so that the food is not eaten by homeless people or scavenging animals.
Tiger Brands, one of South Africa’s biggest packaged foods companies, has refused to apologise until the strain of listeria found at its factory has been definitively linked to the deaths. However, queues have formed outside its meat factories across the country as angry customers and businesses demand refunds. Two factories owned by Enterprise Foods, a subsidiary of Tiger Brands, have been associated with the outbreak. Another manufacturer, Rainbow Chicken, is also being investigated.
Motsoaledi said tests at Enterprise had revealed the presence of the listeria related to the deaths, and the government had ordered the companies to stop production and recall their products.
More than 945 cases of listeria have been confirmed since the beginning of last year, compared with the usual annual rate of 60 to 80 cases. The disease is caused by bacteria from soil, water, vegetation and animal faeces.