NEW YORK – A third person has died after consuming products tainted with listeria, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Aug 8, the latest death connected to a nationwide outbreak that began in May and has been linked to meats sliced at deli counters.

       Officials also said the number of people sickened by food contaminated by the bacteria had risen to 43 since they last released numbers in late July. The outbreak has been linked by federal food safety officials to Boar’s Head deli meats, and the company recently recalled millions of kg of meat.

       Boar’s Head did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the third death, which occurred in Virginia. It began recalling sliceable deli meats in late July, after federal food safety officials announced that a sample of Boar’s Head liverwurst for sale at a Maryland store had tested positive for the same strain of the bacteria causing the outbreak of listeriosis.

       On July 30, Boar’s Head recalled 3.175 million kg of meat, following an earlier and more limited recall. The recall includes more than 70 products – including those made from ham, beef and poultry – that were manufactured at its plant in Virginia.

       The two other people who died in the outbreak lived in New Jersey and Illinois.

       In a statement posted to the Boar’s Head website on July 30, the company said: “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.”

       Boar’s Head is facing at least three lawsuits over the outbreak – in New York, Missouri and Wisconsin. People have reported growing ill in 13 states: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

       Every year, about 1,600 people in the United States develop serious listeria infections, according to the CDC. About 260 of those cases are fatal, according to Dr Laura Gieraltowski, a public health researcher with the CDC’s outbreak response and prevention branch. Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the US, according to the CDC.

       Listeria bacteria, which is naturally found in soil, can contaminate a number of foods, from dairy products like cheese and ice cream to leafy greens and fruits such as cantaloupes. Most people who ingest the bacteria listeria monocytogenes do not get sick, but certain high-risk individuals, including pregnant women and people who are over 65 or immunocompromised, can become seriously ill.

       The Virginia Department of Health has said on its website that it is collaborating with the CDC to monitor the outbreak and has provided instructions for how to report suspected food-borne illness. NYTIMES