10. Death related to Boar's Head; A popular product has been discontinued forever

A 10th person has died in the listeria outbreak that led to the closure of a deli factory in Boar's Head, federal health officials said.

At least 59 people in 19 states have fallen ill from the bacteria first discovered in liver sausage made at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant. Illnesses were reported between late May and late August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. All those who fell ill were hospitalized.

The latest death was reported in New York, bringing the total number of deaths to two each in New York and South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.

The Sarasota, Fla.-based company announced Sept. 13 that it would close its Jarratt plant and stop producing liverwurst.

The moves came after inspection reports revealed problems including mold, insects, dripping water and meat and grease residue on walls, floors and appliances that were at least two years old.

Boar's Head faces multiple lawsuits related to the deaths and illnesses.

The plant has not been in operation since late July, when U.S. Department of Agriculture officials suspended inspections and the company recalled more than 7 million pounds of sausage products because of possible contamination.

Boar's Head officials said they “regret the contamination of their products and deeply apologize.”

Listeria infections are caused by a hardy species of bacteria that can survive and even thrive in the refrigerator. According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get Listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die from it. Infections can be difficult to locate because symptoms can appear up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food.

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