More than 400 newborn babies infected with listeriosis: NICD
11 April 2018
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported that 412 of the 973 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases are babies less than 28 days old.
Of these neonatal cases, 396 had early-onset listeriosis within six days of their birth.
The NICD also noted that 37 more cases had been reported since the recall of meat products manufactured by Enterprise Foods on March 4, 2018.
However, it said that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases had declined since the recall.
It is expected that more outbreak-related cases will be reported given the disease's 70-day incubation period and the possibility of cross-contamination of other foods in the retail or home setting.
Based on the NICD's monthly report, the death rate has increased from 189 to 191 deaths since the NICD published its previous report in March.
