South Africa – Death toll rises to 41 from Listeriosis outbreak in S. Africa

Xinhuanet 

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — The death toll from an outbreak of listeriosis has risen to 41 in South Africa, health authorities said on Monday.

Five more deaths were reported recently, all in the drought-stricken Western Cape Province, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

The victims included three adults and two newborns, the institute said.

Early this month, the NICD first reported 36 deaths out of the 557 laboratory confirmed cases since the beginning of this year.

The country normally records 60 to 80 cases a year.

In the Western Cape Province alone, 71 cases had been detected by November this year, the NICD said.