Death toll from listeria-tainted cantaloupes hits 29

[n2doc]

The death toll from listeria-contaminated cantaloupes has reached 29, making it the deadliest food-borne outbreak in this country since at least 1985, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In an update on its website, the CDC said that as of Nov. 1, 139 people in 28 states had been infected in the outbreak, attributed to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. The fruit was voluntarily recalled on Sept. 14 and probably hasn’t been on shelves for weeks, but the toll has kept rising as new laboratory tests have been completed.

According to the agency, reports of the illnesses began July 31 and ran until Oct. 21. The age of those infected ranged from younger than 1 to 96, with a median of 77. Most of those found to be ill were older than 60.

Fifty-seven percent were female. Five of the illnesses were related to a pregnancy; two were diagnosed in newborns and three were diagnosed in pregnant women. One miscarriage has also been reported, the CDC said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/listeria-cantaloupes-29-deaths.html