Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Re: CANADA: Deadly listeriosis outbreak - Maple Leaf's Toronto Plant - 15 Dead - Food Recalled
Re: CANADA: Deadly listeriosis outbreak - Maple Leaf's Toronto Plant - 15 Dead - Food Recalled
Machinetranslation of previous post.
Two deaths in Quebec and mysterious new cases
Stephanie B?rub?
La Presse
The crisis of listeriosis takes a dramatic turn in Quebec. One death is under investigation by Ottawa since yesterday and another was reported late in the day, was told La Presse. In addition, five mysterious poisoning cases have just been confirmed in Mont?r?gie.
The Agency for Public Health of Canada released its latest results last night: 15 people died of listeriosis in the country recently, including one in Quebec. However, it is unknown whether this person had contracted the same bacteria that was found in the plant Ontario Maple Leaf and is the heart of this important food crisis.
The agency, however, will readjust its balance sheet today, as the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec last night confirmed the death of another patient with listeriosis.
"Everything has shaken up late in the day," said Marie-Claude Gagnon, spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec, who could not give details on the circumstances of these two deaths in Quebec, nor on strains of bacteria involved.
There are several types of the bacteria Listeria. "To determine whether the same strain, one has to be in some way a paternity test," said Linda Saucier, a researcher with the department of animal sciences at Laval University. We need to draw on the sick person and the contaminated food. It then compares their common characteristics to determine whether the food is indeed responsible for the disease.
Until now, scientists at the Agency for Public Health found that 29 Canadians suffering from listeriosis have contracted by eating products from the factory 97B Maple Leaf, located in Toronto. Most, 22, are residents of Ontario, the province which is the hardest hit by the crisis. Quebec has a dozen cases officially recorded, of which only two have been linked beyond any doubt the strain present in the meat plant in Ontario.
But that does not include five new cases of disease that were confirmed last few days in Mont?r?gie. "This is a very unusual situation," said Patricia Hudson, the Agency for Health and Social Services of Mont?r?gie. The region noted seven cases since the beginning of the year: it is therefore an average monthly increase of a sudden, in a very particular context.
We must now determine if these sick people have eaten meat products affected by the recall or another contaminated food. The new cases are not yet on official balance sheets or Ottawa or Quebec, which has received this new information during the day yesterday. The second death is also occurring in Mont?r?gie.
A particular situation in Quebec
At the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ), however it is expected that the majority of cases of listeriosis under investigation here are not related to the discovery of the bacterium in the Maple Leaf plant.
"We have cases of contamination with the bacteria Listeria each year: this is not unusual," said Guy Auclair MAPAQ. There are about 45 cases of listeriosis a year in Quebec. Since the beginning of the year, eight people died, all before the outbreak of the strain present in meat products. The situation is not exceptional, but the context to the east.
Quebecers who suffer from listeriosis became sick after eating cheese Quebec. The MAPAQ recalled Riopelle cheese sold in a market of Quebec last week and said yesterday cheese Mont-Jacob bought the market Octofruit Saint-Jerome.
"The cheese has been infected during the cut in trade with a knife contaminated or employees," said Guy Auclair. The Listeria bacterium is naturally present in the environment and settled in supportive environments, where safety rules are broken.
Most consumers would never know they have eaten food contaminated with the bacteria Listeria, explains Linda Saucier. But people whose immune systems are already weakened much at risk, she says. This explains the high proportion of elderly among the victims. Yesterday, nobody in Quebec could not provide details on those who are sick in the current crisis.
Maple Leaf products in hospitals
In Quebec, the second MAPAQ the Canadian Food Inspection in this crisis. Since last Friday, almost all inspectors Quebec ensure the proper functioning of the recall products that have passed through the factory meat Toronto, the famous 97B. The task is arduous. "Maple Leaf has 42 distributors in Quebec, said Guy Auclair. And to give you an idea, the first on the list has 86 clients. "Once the distribution line traced, the places most at risk have received the visit of inspectors first. The representative of MAPAQ confirms that hospitals and residences for the elderly were on the list.
Re: CANADA: Deadly listeriosis outbreak - Maple Leaf's Toronto Plant - 15 Dead - Food Recalled
Machinetranslation of previous post.
Two deaths in Quebec and mysterious new cases
Stephanie B?rub?
La Presse
The crisis of listeriosis takes a dramatic turn in Quebec. One death is under investigation by Ottawa since yesterday and another was reported late in the day, was told La Presse. In addition, five mysterious poisoning cases have just been confirmed in Mont?r?gie.
The Agency for Public Health of Canada released its latest results last night: 15 people died of listeriosis in the country recently, including one in Quebec. However, it is unknown whether this person had contracted the same bacteria that was found in the plant Ontario Maple Leaf and is the heart of this important food crisis.
The agency, however, will readjust its balance sheet today, as the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec last night confirmed the death of another patient with listeriosis.
"Everything has shaken up late in the day," said Marie-Claude Gagnon, spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec, who could not give details on the circumstances of these two deaths in Quebec, nor on strains of bacteria involved.
There are several types of the bacteria Listeria. "To determine whether the same strain, one has to be in some way a paternity test," said Linda Saucier, a researcher with the department of animal sciences at Laval University. We need to draw on the sick person and the contaminated food. It then compares their common characteristics to determine whether the food is indeed responsible for the disease.
Until now, scientists at the Agency for Public Health found that 29 Canadians suffering from listeriosis have contracted by eating products from the factory 97B Maple Leaf, located in Toronto. Most, 22, are residents of Ontario, the province which is the hardest hit by the crisis. Quebec has a dozen cases officially recorded, of which only two have been linked beyond any doubt the strain present in the meat plant in Ontario.
But that does not include five new cases of disease that were confirmed last few days in Mont?r?gie. "This is a very unusual situation," said Patricia Hudson, the Agency for Health and Social Services of Mont?r?gie. The region noted seven cases since the beginning of the year: it is therefore an average monthly increase of a sudden, in a very particular context.
We must now determine if these sick people have eaten meat products affected by the recall or another contaminated food. The new cases are not yet on official balance sheets or Ottawa or Quebec, which has received this new information during the day yesterday. The second death is also occurring in Mont?r?gie.
A particular situation in Quebec
At the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ), however it is expected that the majority of cases of listeriosis under investigation here are not related to the discovery of the bacterium in the Maple Leaf plant.
"We have cases of contamination with the bacteria Listeria each year: this is not unusual," said Guy Auclair MAPAQ. There are about 45 cases of listeriosis a year in Quebec. Since the beginning of the year, eight people died, all before the outbreak of the strain present in meat products. The situation is not exceptional, but the context to the east.
Quebecers who suffer from listeriosis became sick after eating cheese Quebec. The MAPAQ recalled Riopelle cheese sold in a market of Quebec last week and said yesterday cheese Mont-Jacob bought the market Octofruit Saint-Jerome.
"The cheese has been infected during the cut in trade with a knife contaminated or employees," said Guy Auclair. The Listeria bacterium is naturally present in the environment and settled in supportive environments, where safety rules are broken.
Most consumers would never know they have eaten food contaminated with the bacteria Listeria, explains Linda Saucier. But people whose immune systems are already weakened much at risk, she says. This explains the high proportion of elderly among the victims. Yesterday, nobody in Quebec could not provide details on those who are sick in the current crisis.
Maple Leaf products in hospitals
In Quebec, the second MAPAQ the Canadian Food Inspection in this crisis. Since last Friday, almost all inspectors Quebec ensure the proper functioning of the recall products that have passed through the factory meat Toronto, the famous 97B. The task is arduous. "Maple Leaf has 42 distributors in Quebec, said Guy Auclair. And to give you an idea, the first on the list has 86 clients. "Once the distribution line traced, the places most at risk have received the visit of inspectors first. The representative of MAPAQ confirms that hospitals and residences for the elderly were on the list.
