TORONTO (AP) - An outbreak of listeriosis has killed one person and sickened
at least 16 others, Canadian public health officials said Wednesday, as a food
company suspended production at a Toronto plant and expanded a recall of nearly
two dozen types of packaged meats.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said it was working with officials in
four provinces to establish any link between the outbreak and the affected
products recalled by Maple Leaf Foods.
Listeriosis is a kind of food poisoning that can be dangerous to the
elderly, newborns, pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions.
Symptoms include fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and
diarrhea.
Listeriosis was the "underlying cause of death" in the case of the one known
fatality, said Dr. David Williams, Ontario's acting chief medical officer of
health. He didn't provide further details.
The number of confirmed cases, which seem to consist primarily of nursing
home residents, could grow as health units across the province continue to
submit reports on the disease, he added.
"The pattern was people in certain long-term care facilities" across
southern Ontario, Williams said. "The median age in the males is 76 and in the
females is 80."
On Sunday, the company announced it had discovered listeria bacteria in
roast beef and corned beef made at the Toronto facility. It increased the recall
on Wednesday to a total of 23 products, including a variety of turkey, smoked
meat and roast beef.
Maple Leaf said that the recall covered all products prepared at the plant
since June 2 and that it was temporarily closing the facility to re-evaluate
food safety procedures.
A statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said some of the meat
products, which are distributed to nursing homes, restaurants and deli counters
across the country -- including McDonald's and Mr. Sub -- tested positive for
listeria bacteria.
McDonald's Canada said Wednesday it was temporarily removing its turkey BLT
sandwich from its menu as a "precautionary measure" -- the only item on the
restaurant chain's menu that is affected.
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