Listeriosis outbreak: Death toll jumps to 172 in South Africa

Listeriosis infection inSouth African is reported to have claimed as many as 172 lives since the start of 2017. According to local officials, the country struggles to contain the disease in what is now being called the world's largest reported outbreak.

According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), close to 915 cases of the disease have been reported in the country so far, leading to 172 deaths.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention describes Listeriosis as a "serious infection", caused by consuming food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

"An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die. The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems," notes CDC's official website.

"Outbreaks of Listeria infections in the 1990s were primarily linked to deli meats and hot dogs. Now, Listeria outbreaks are often linked to dairy products and produce. Investigators have traced recent outbreaks to soft cheeses, celery, sprouts, cantaloupe, and ice cream," states CDC.