Health Minister declares the end of Listeriosis outbreak

On 5 December 2017 we announced that South Africa was hit by the outbreak of listeriosis. A joint Public health emergency Co-ordinating committee was established including NDoH, DAFF, DTi, NCC, NRCS, DEA, SALGA and DMs to co-ordinate investigations and respond. On the 3rd March 2018, the National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD), working together with partners present here today, confirmed that source of the Listeria outbreak strain (Lm ST-6) was a ready-to-eat (RTE) processed meat plant owned by Tiger Brands (the Enterprise Foods® Polokwane production facility). We also identified Listeria at a RCL-owned facility (Rainbow Foods® ). On 4 March 2018, we instructed that all ready-to-eat processed meat products produced at these facilities be recalled immediately.