Deadly Boar’s Head Deli Meat Outbreak Leads to Nine Deaths

A deadly Boar's Head deli meat outbreak of listeria has been connected to the death of nine people.

According to CBS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found dozens of violations at a specific Boar's Head plant in Virginia that has now been linked to a nationwide recall as well as illness.

The records obtained by the outlet show that mold, mildew and insects were found at the plant. This has led to a deadly listeria outbreak that has hospitalized 57 people in 18 states.

CBS notes that there have been nine deaths linked to the outbreak, including two in South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and New York.

A spokesperson for South Carolina's health department shared a statement about the outbreak.

"Consumers who were unaware of the recall may have eaten recalled products. People may also have a prolonged course of illness," they said.

The CDC went on to note that this is the latest outbreak of listeria since 2011 when the bacteria was found with cantaloupe.

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It is currently unclear as to what consequences, if any, Boar's Head will face following the outbreak. Reports show that the USDA show no "enforcement actions" that have been taken against the company over the last year.

The USDA has also not respond to the situation as of reporting.

However, a spokesperson for Boar's Head released a statement about the situation where they said that food safety is a priority for them.

"As a USDA-inspected food producer, the agency has inspectors in our Jarratt, Virginia plant every day and if at any time inspectors identify something that needs to be addressed, our team does so immediately, as was the case with each and every issue raised by USDA in this report," the spokesperson said.

"During this time, we have partnered with the industry's leading global food safety experts to conduct a rigorous investigation to get to the bottom of the events leading to this recall," the concluded.

The company has committed to disinfecting the plant.