Production remains paused at Va. Boar's Head plant linked to deadly outbreak

JARRATT, Va. -- The death toll connected to a listeria outbreak from Boar's Head deli meats has reached nine people. Dozens more have gotten sick and it is now the largest listeria outbreak in over a decade.

The epicenter of that outbreak has been the company's production facility in Jarratt, Virginia.

WTVR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the illnesses were first reported in May and have continued through August.

Among the dead is Gunter Morganstein, 88, from Newport News, who died July 18.

"He was complaining to my mom early in the morning that he was having trouble breathing. They started doing testing because they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. Then it came back as listeria," his son, Shon, told WTKR .

WTKR

The source of the outbreak was tied to deli meats produced in the Jarratt facility. The company said listeria has only been detected in its liverwurst product, which Morganstein's family said he ate frequently.

The company told WTKR it recalled the liverwurst on July 25, 2024, when it was made aware of the possible health risk (along with nine other products that were made on the same line and day as the liverwurst) and then, on July 29, 2024, voluntarily recalled all products made at the plant out of an abundance of caution -- around seven million pounds.

A complete list of the items impacted by the recall here .

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“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness,” spokesperson Liz Ward added.

Production is now paused and the company says it won't reopen until they are "confident that it meets the standards our customers expect and deserve." It added employees are undergoing additional training and they are partnering with global food safety experts to determine what

A spokesperson for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it has suspended inspection at the plant, “which means that it remains closed until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product.”

It added the facility is inspected by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) on behalf of the FSIS and the two agencies are working closely together “to ensure the establishment has an effective system in place to produce safe food for the public.”

WTVR

CBS News reports that in the past year, federal investigators flagged dozens of violations there including mold, mildew, and insects.

Boar's Head said inspectors are at its plant every day and issues are immediately addressed and was the case for the ones mentioned in the report.

While the products have been recalled from the stores, the CDC urges people to check their fridges and throw away any products impacted by the recall and then to thoroughly clean and sanitize the fridge and any area the product may have touched.

Steve Helber/AP

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.