Huffington Post: Listeriosis Death Toll Rises To 61 in South Africa

According to Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, the listeriosis death toll has risen to 61 since December. Listeriosis is a foodborne illness that has affected 727 people across South African provinces thus far. Listeriosis is caused by a bacterium that is found in the soil, water, or in vegetation that is then contracted by humans. Listeriosis has the potential to develop into meningitis and septicemia which are fatal infections of the brain and blood respectively. Fortunately, Listeriosis is treatable with antibiotics but newborns, pregnant women, and those who are immunocompromised are at a higher risk of contraction. Genome sequencing is underway to help shed light on the cause of this tragic outbreak. The CDC is still actively involved and is working with South African provinces to control the outbreak. To read more about the outbreak, click here.