CDC says brand of ice cream linked to deadly Listeria outbreak
The recent listeria outbreak is linked to Big Olaf Ice Cream, an ice cream brand based in Sarasota, Florida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
One person died of the outbreak, while 22 people were hospitalized. The outbreak has spread to 10 states.
The CDC said health officials interviewed 17 of the patients, and 14 of them reported eating ice cream.
Of the 13 people who remembered what type of ice cream they ate, six were able to name the brand, remembering that it was Big Olaf Ice Cream or a site serving the same brand of ice cream.
The company posted on social media on Sunday about the outbreak, calling it “speculation” while at the same time adding that it was cooperating with all local authorities.
“At the moment, it’s just speculation because it’s an ongoing investigation, our brand’s association with these cases has not been confirmed…” the company stated. “The original report we got from the Florida Department of Health on Friday the 1st of July, is that there were 23 reported cases… 6 out of the 23 patients reported having eaten Big Olaf ice cream, but nothing was proven. .”
Customers with this brand of ice cream are advised to throw it away, as well as clean and sanitize all items that may have come into contact with the product.
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