Officials admit there's a lot they still don't know about the nationwide listeria outbreak that's left one dead and 13 more ill. They're still looking into the possibility that 17 others could have been sickened by meats tainted with listeria, a bug that can cause serious illness in some people.
But while health experts aren't yet prepared to tie in a recall of products from Maple Leaf Foods to all the listeriosis cases that have been reported, they agree it won't surprise them if more surface in the coming weeks.
"The incubation period is anywhere from
3
to 70 days," points out
Ontario
's chief medical officer of health Dr. Allen Williams. "The estimated median is about three weeks. So I'm expecting to have some more cases reported, yes, definitely."
His admission follows reports that up to four more deaths may also be linked to the tainted meat scandal. But Williams isn't prepared to go that far - yet. "Let's wait until we get the data through, until the investigation by the health unit and by the laboratory is complete," he suggests.
Toronto Public Health insists rumours of other related fatalities in the city simply aren't true. "We have had no deaths in our cases that have been caused by listeria," confirms Dr. Vinita Dubey. "Of our nine cases, three of the individuals subsequently passed away, but they did not die of listeria."
But she admits the bug could have been one of several underlying factors. "Listeria could have contributed to the death, but it was not the cause of death," she states assertively.
A confirmed death has to meet specific criteria, which "means it has to be listeria, the same fingerprinting [and] has to be related to the outbreak," Williams added, noting the fatalities could have been caused by listeria, but not the specific bacterium from this particular outbreak.
Four to five cases of the illness are reported in a normal month, he added.
Aside from a 40-year-old woman, the people who've fallen ill because of the tainted meats are 50 and over with the majority being in their 60s and 70s. Seven of them have been hospitalized.
Williams wouldn't speculate on how many more people could fall ill. Four other cases of illness have been reported outside of Ontario, including two in B.C., one is Saskatchewan and one in Quebec.
On Thursday, officials with the Peterborough County-City Health Unit said they were aware of two deaths possibly linked to the deli meats recall.
Maple Leaf Foods has
temporarily closed its Toronto plant at Weston Road and Sheppard and employees were given a refresher course in procedures. The company decided to recall 25 products that were distributed by nursing homes, deli counters and restaurants including McDonald's and Mr. Sub.
(
see full list of affected products below.)
The recall has prompted questions over government food safety, and federal MPs are challenging the Conservative government over a leaked cabinet document revealing plans to give the food industry more say in the inspection process.
Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz is also on the hot seat over apparent plans to cut millions on mad cow disease checks. The plans haven't yet been approved, and critics say they could lead to more outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.
The symptoms of listeriosis include high fever, nausea, severe headaches, and neck stiffness.
Find more on listeria here
Are you at risk for Listeriosis?
For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:
Maple Leaf Consumer Foods at 1-800-568-5801
CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8am - 8pm ET, Monday to Friday).
For information on Listeria monocytogenes,
click here.
Some information about listeria infection (listeriosis):
WHAT IS IT?: The bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes, often found in soil, vegetation, animal feed and feces, can cause the disease listeriosis in humans who eat food contaminated with it.
WHERE FOUND: In vegetables contaminated by soil or manure used as fertilizer; infected animals can contaminate meat; unpasteurized milk may contain listeria, and certain processed foods like soft cheeses, deli meats and hot dogs can become contaminated after processing.
SYMPTOMS: Nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, headache, constipation, persistent fever. If it spreads to the nervous system, signs and symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions. In newborn babies who have been infected, signs include loss of appetite, lethargy, jaundice, vomiting, skin rash, breathing difficulty.
TIMELINE: Symptoms usually appear within two to 30 days, and up to 90 days after consuming contaminated food, according to Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Average incubation period is three weeks, says Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
MOST AT RISK: People with weak immune systems, pregnant women. Although the infection may be mild in a pregnant woman, there could be a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or potentially fatal infection in the baby after birth.
DIAGNOSIS: Blood test. In some cases, samples of spinal fluid, urine or amniotic fluid may be tested as well.
TREATMENT: Antibiotics.
FOOD SAFETY:
- Keep foods out of temperature danger zone (between 4 C and 60 C; keep refrigerator at 4 C or colder).
- Thoroughly cook or boil foods such as hot dogs and poultry products until they are steaming hot.
- Avoid raw, unpasteurized milk or food made from it.
- Buy only as much product as will be consumed in one to two days.
- Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating.
- Wash hands before, during and after handling any type of food, especially raw meat and poultry.
- Clean all utensils, cutting boards and work surfaces with a mild bleach solution before and after using.
- Separate utensils for raw and cooked foods.
- Follow "use by" dates especially on packaged goods with a long shelf life.
Sources: Canadian Food Inspection Agency, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, MayoClinic.com
Recall Information
The following ready-to-eat meat products
bearing an Est. # 97B are affected by this alert:
McDonald's Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast
6 x 470g
UPC - 10063100263659
Product code - 26365
All best before dates up to and including 08SE30
(Note: McDonald's has announced it's temporarily pulling its Turkey BLT from its menus in Canada until the issue is resolved. Mr. Sub has also pulled the affected meats.)
Schneiders Bavarian smokies
8 x 1kg
UPC - 0 64844 02105 8
Product code - 02106
Dates up to and including 08OC28
Schneiders Cheddar smokies
8 x 1kg
UPC - 0 64844 02124 9
Product code - 02126
Dates up to and including 08OC28
ML Sure Slice Roast Beef
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100213333
Product code - 21333
Dates up to and including 08SE30
ML Sure Slice Combo Pack
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100213883
Product code - 21388
Dates up to and including 08SE30
Deli Gourmet Roast Beef Slices
6 x 1kg
UPC - 10000000602430
Product code - 60243
Dates up to and including 08SE30
Mr. Sub Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef
12 x 500g
UPC - 10063100023567
Product code - 02356
Dates up to and including 08OC07
MSD Roast Beef, Seasoned and Cooked
6 x 500g
UPC - 10063100427068
Product code - 42706
Dates up to and including 08OC07
ML Sure Slice Turkey Breast Roast Slice
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100213340
Product code - 21334
Dates up to and including 08OC14
ML Sure Slice Corned Beef
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100214446
Product code - 21444
Dates up to and including 08OC14
MSD Montreal Style Corned Beef
6 x 500g
UPC - 10063100449381
Product code: 44938
Dates up to and including 08OC14
ML Sure Slice Black Forest Style Ham
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100214408
Product code - 21440
Dates up to and including 08OC21
ML Sure Slice Salami
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100214477
Product code - 21447
Dates up to and including 08OC21
ML Sure Slice Smoked Ham
3 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100213319
Product code - 21331
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Schneiders Deli Shaved Corned Beef
8 x 200g
UPC - 0 62000 48019 0
Product code - 48019
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Meat
8 x 200g
UPC - 0 62000 48020 6
Product code - 48020
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Ham
8 x 200g
UPC - 0 62000 48016 9
Product code - 48016
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast
8 x 150g
UPC - 0 62000 48018 3
Product code - 48018
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Schneiders Deli Shaved Fully Cooked Smoked Honey Ham
8 x 200g
UPC - 0 62000 48017 6
Product code - 48017
Dates up to and including 08OC21
Burns Bites Pepperoni
12 x 500g
UPC - 0 63100 21360 2
Product code - 21360
Dates up to and including 09JA01
ML Turkey Breast Roast
12 x 1kg
UPC - 10063100991583
Product code - 99158
Dates up to and including 08SE30
FS Roast Beef Cooked, Seasoned
4 x 2.5kg
UPC - 10064875713301
Product code - 71330
Dates up to and including 08SE30
FS Corned Beef, Smoked Meat
4 x 2.5kg
UPC - 10064875713318
Product code - 71331
Dates up to and including 08SE30