Tauranga death not linked to Bay listeria outbreak

TWO deaths in Hawke’s Bay from the food bug listeria are not connected to another in the Bay of Plenty.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board’s public health service, Toi Te Ora, was notified of two cases of listeria at the beginning of July.

Medical Officer of Health Phil Shoemack was confident both people contracted their listeria illness in the community. They were then admitted to Tauranga Hospital for treatment. One person died from the illness.

“We’ve been liaising closely with our colleagues in the Hawke’s Bay and extensive investigations show no apparent link,’’ he said.

Prime Minister John Key said on Friday there needed to be a full in- quiry. ‘‘We need to know what the source was and if there were protocols breached.

‘‘Two people have lost their lives and that’s a very serious matter, so the Government needs to find some answers.’’

The Ministry for Primary Industries issued a food recall notice on Monday after pre-packaged meat was found to contain the potentially lethal listeria bug.

The Hawke’s Bay company at the centre of the food recall, Bay Cuisine, does not distribute any products to the Bay of Plenty.

There have been four reported cases in Hawke’s Bay since May. The bug has claimed the life of a woman in her 60s and contributed to the death of another in her 80s.