Ministry of Health investigates meat packing company amid lysteriosis outbreak

SANTIAGO.- The Undersecretary of Health, Jeannette Vega, has confirmed that the source of a new strain of lysteriosis is currently being investigated at a specific meat company located in the northern sector of Santiago after the bacteria was determined to have caused the death of one person, as well as two miscarriages.

"We are probing a specific industry in the northern area involved in the meat packing business. Just like last year with Chevrita, this year we have already identified a possible source for the outbreak based on its characteristics and as soon as we have results, we will release them", the ministry told Radio Cooperativa.

Vega warned that as long as the origin of contamination remains unknown, people should continue to follow a series of recommendations from the Ministry of Health that includes, "washing your hands, preventing cross-contamination by keeping foods separate, consuming only pasteurized products, washing fruits and vegetables even if that have been packaged, as well as only consuming only meat and fish that has been cooked".

The undersecretary stated that, so far this year, there have been a total of 13 reported cases of lysteriorsis, eight of which "are related to strain 001, which began to appear in October of last year".