At least four people have died and 21 have become sick in Canada from an outbreak of listeriosis linked to recalled meat products, the Associated Press said Monday.
Maple Leaf Foods widened its recall Sunday to include 220 products, and the company has shut its manufacturing plant for a thorough cleaning, the wire service reported. Most recalled products have been removed from store shelves nationwide, the company said. There are no reports that the recalled products were sold outside Canada.
Canadian health officials are evaluating whether another 30 cases of illness might be related to the outbreak.
Listeriosis is particularly dangerous to people with weaker immune systems, including the young, elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases such as AIDS. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.