Eight people now dead in Boar’s Head deli meat listeria outbreak

At least eight people have died after becoming ill due to listeria found in Boar's Head deli meats that were the subject of a massive recall in July, according to federal health officials.

Two people in South Carolina and individuals in Florida, New Mexico and Tennessee have been confirmed to have died from listeria tied to the recalled meats. Three deaths — one each in Virginia, New Jersey, and Illinois — were previously confirmed.

One man, Gunter Morgenstein, 88, of Newport News, Virginia, died on July 18 after he developed a brain infection due to consuming listeria-contaminated Boar's Head meat.

Morgenstein, a German-born Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada and then the US, had purchased the company's liverwurst, his son told the Associated Press.

“It’s really just a senseless accident and tragedy for something that just should not have ever happened,” his son said. “He still had many good years left.”

Virginia Department of Health officials have said they are working with the CDC to monitor the listeria outbreak.

Boar's Head issued a statement in the wake of the initial death reports.

“No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness,” the company said on July 30, five days after it announced the recall.

Illnesses related to the deli meat were first reported in late May and continued into August, prompting the recall on July 25.

"On July 25, 2024, we voluntarily recalled our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst because it had the potential to be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes," the company said in a recall announcement. "As a precaution, we also recalled nine other products made on the same line and on the same day as our liverwurst."

In total, Boar's Head has recalled more than 7 million pounds of its deli products. The contamination was discovered after health officials in Maryland discovered a sample of liverwurst that tested positive for listeria.

Since late may, at least 57 people have required hospitalization as a result of the outbreak.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeria can withstand refrigeration and causes food poisoning. Infections can be difficult to diagnose because they can emerge up to 10 weeks after consumption of the contaminated food, according to the CDC.

CDC officials have urged consumers to check their refrigerators to check to see if they have purchased any of the recalled products.