More listeria cases confirmed as outbreak linked to plant-based drinks continues

More listeria cases have been confirmed as an outbreak associated with popular plant-based drinks stretches on.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in an update on Tuesday that there are now 18 confirmed cases.

Two people have died and 13 have been hospitalized.

The outbreak is connected to Silk and Great Value drinks made with oats, coconuts, almonds and cashews.

PHAC said most of the laboratory-confirmed cases are in Ontario (12), with the others in Quebec (four), Nova Scotia (one) and Alberta (one).

The people affected became sick between August 2023 and July 2024, PHAC explained.

Most of the people were aged 50 or over (67 per cent) and were female (72 per cent).

Kids as young as seven also became ill, however, as well as seniors aged up to 89.

“More recent illnesses may continue to be reported in the outbreak because there is a period between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials,” PHAC added.

“For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between 9 and 29 days.”

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency previously warned consumers that food contaminated with listeria “may not look or smell spoiled.”

“Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness,” it explained, adding: “In severe cases of illness, people may die.”

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