Contaminated rockmelon death in Oz

SYDNEY: A man aged in his 80s has become the fifth person to die in Australia after eating rockmelons contaminated with listeria bacteria, local media reported yesterday.

The people all ate rockmelons grown on one farm near the town of Griffith, 575km west of Sydney.

At least 17 elderly people across Australia have been diagnosed with listeria infections after eating the contaminated rockmelons.

How they they came to be contaminated is still a mystery to health officials, but all fruit from the farm has been removed from shops across Australia.

The outbreak was detected on February 28. Fruit from all other farms has been cleared.

Chief Health Officer in the state of Victoria, Brett Sutton, said one miscarriage has also been linked to the outbreak, the broadcaster ABC reported. – dpa