Boar's Head listeria outbreak linked to NY death, hospitalizations: Breakdown by county

A New York resident has died in connection with the ongoing multi-state listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wednesday.

As of Aug. 27, 57 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of listeria across 18 states and all have been hospitalized. New York has reported the most cases of any state — 17 — since the CDC's investigation began on July 19.

Eight other deaths have been reported, one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico and two in South Carolina.

Here's what to know.

How many listeria cases reported in NY

New York state continues to have the highest number of cases with 17, according to the CDC . Here's where the cases have been reported in New York, according to the New York State Department of Health:

• New York City: 8
• Suffolk County: 2
• Nassau County: 2
• Dutchess County: 1
• Cayuga County: 1
• Greene County: 1
• Onondaga County: 1
• Oswego County: 1

The state Department of Health also reported all 17 patients were hospitalized and confirmed one death has been linked to the listeria outbreak in New York.

Listeria outbreak lawsuit: Boar's Head faces class action lawsuit in NY after listeria outbreak

Class action lawsuit filed in NY over recalled products

A class action lawsuit against Boar's Head was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Aug. 1, claiming Boar's Head Provisions Co. Inc. "has improperly, deceptively, and misleadingly labeled and marketed its products ... by not omitting and disclosing to consumers on its packaging that the products are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes."

The plaintiff, Queens County resident Rita Torres, alleges that she purchased one of the recalled products — Boar's Head Ham — at a Shop Rite Store in Queens County and that she and other “reasonable customers” would not have done so had the company properly warned consumers about possible bacterial contamination.

A Missouri couple also filed a lawsuit July 26 claiming the Virginia-based company's deli meats made one of them "deathly ill."

Which Boar's Head products have been recalled

Boar's Head recalled over 200,000 pounds of products on July 26 for possible listeria contamination, and expanded that list to 7 million pounds on July 30. The products range from ham to liverwurst.

In a July 30 statement from the company, Boar’s Head said that it initiated the expanded recall of all products produced at its Jarratt, Virginia facility after it learned that its Strassburger Brand Liverwurst had been linked to the national listeria outbreak, USA TODAY reported .

Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat liverwurst products recalled

• Produced between June 11, 2024 and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf-life
• “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst made in Virginia”
• 3.5-pound loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis
• Sell-by dates range from July 25, 2024, to August 30, 2024

Other Boar’s Head deli meat products

Boar’s Head also recalled all deli products, including prepackaged deli products. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

What to know: Raisins sold in NY recalled for possible undeclared allergen

What symptoms you should look out for

Listeria symptoms can vary but the bacteria is most likely to sicken people who are pregnant and newborns, adults aged 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems, the CDC said .

Symptoms can include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, seizures, diarrhea and vomiting.

What to do if you've purchased the recalled products

Those who are generally healthy and not at higher risk of serious infection should not eat the recalled meats and throw them away or contact stores about returns, the CDC says . You should also clean your refrigerator, containers and any surfaces that may have touched the recalled meats.

If you're pregnant, 65 or older or have a weakened immune system, here's what you should do:

• Do not eat recalled deli meats. Throw them away or contact stores about returns.
• Do not eat any other deli meats you get sliced at deli counters, unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot.
• Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms :
  • People who are not pregnant usually have a fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
  • Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. However, listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth and cause serious illness or death in newborns.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes . Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Boar's Head listeria outbreak linked to NY death, hospitalizations: Breakdown by county