A Virginia family is the first to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Boar’s Head Provisions over the death of their relative from a Listeria outbreak traced to deli meat produced in Jarratt.
Günter “Garshon” Morgenstein, 88, of Newport News, spent 10 days in the hospital before developing a brain infection from the deadly strain of Listeria. He died on July 18.
Morgenstein was a German-born Holocaust survivor who became a hair stylist to the stars, his son told the Associated Press. The family is holding a service for Morgenstein on Sunday at the Jewish Community Center in Newport News.
To date, Morgenstein is the only death reported in Virginia linked to the infection. However, in total, nine people are dead, and 57 people have been hospitalized due to Listeria monocytogenes infections, according to the last update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, on Aug. 28.
The Virginia facility initially recalled its liverwurst deli meat but eventually recalled more than 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced in Jarratt.
The plant has been temporarily shut down and is being sanitized due to the outbreak with infections in 18 states. In addition to Virginia, deaths have been reported in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, Illinois and New Jersey.
The number of deaths and hospitalizations may increase, the CDC said. It can take up to 10 weeks after eating the meat for some people to show symptoms of Listeriosis. The sell-by dates of the product extended into October, so public-health officials worry some consumers could still have the contaminated meat in their refrigerators.
Inspection reports from the Jarratt Boar’s Head plant showed a history of unsanitary conditions in processing areas and coolers. Issues documented in the reports include meat build-up on equipment, overspray on walls, pieces of meat on the floor, blood in puddles on the floor, rancid odors, flies, gnats, cobwebs, green mold and black mold on walls.
State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the 44 people interviewed to date, 41 (93 percent) reported eating deli meats. Thirty-nine of the 41 (95 percent) reported eating meats sliced at a deli. Of the 41 people who answered if they ate liverwurst, 25 (61 percent) reported deli-sliced liverwurst before getting sick, and 19 reported Boar’s Head brand. These deli meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis in multiple states.
This is the largest Listeriosis outbreak since 2011, according to the CDC. On average, 260 people in the United States die from Listeria each year.
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Crystal Graham
