-One of 12 listeria-related deaths in B.C.-
OSOYOOS TIMES-September 3, 2008-
By Paul EverestrnOsoyoos Times
Osoyoos's Sagebrush Lodge was one of two Interior Health facilities in the South Okanagan that served meats included on a recall list connected to a nationwide listeriosis outbreak that has killed 12 people across Canada.
Interior Health reported on Aug. 27 that the lodge and Oliver's Sunnybank Centre had served sliced corned beef processed by Maple Leaf Foods as part of their resident service programs.
Alan Davies, Interior Health's program administrator for food and housekeeping services for the Okanagan health service area, said it is believed the beef was served to lodge residents on Aug. 1, just weeks before the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a massive recall on foods prepared at a Toronto plant that were contaminated with the listeria bacteria.
Davies added, however, that luckily the beef was served hot.rnIt certainly is helpful because heating that product would kill the bacteria, he said.
Since then, Davies said, Interior Health has worked with their food supplier, SYSCO Canada, to track down which of the health authority's sites may have been supplied with items included in the recall, which now includes more than 200 items and could expand further.
He said only two items, sliced roast beef and sliced corned beef were purchased within Interior Health's coverage area and all products included on the recall list have now been pulled from health facilities.
Elaine Taylor, care co-ordinator for the lodge, said no one at the facility has shown any symptoms associated with the bacteria outbreak.
We have no one that's sick, she said on Aug. 29. We've watched all our residents for any untoward side effects.rnTaylor added that staff at the facility jumped into action as soon as the recall was issued.
Anything that was questionable we sent back, she said.
It can sometimes take weeks for listeriosis symptoms to show themselves.
Such symptoms include nausea, headaches and fever and the bacteria is dangerous for the elderly, infants, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
According to Canada's Public Health Agency, one of the 12 people who have died from the bacteria strain in question is from B.C. and there are four confirmed cases of listeriosis in the province.
Ken Naylor, owner of Osoyoos's SuperValu grocery store, said the only item from the recall list found on his shelves was sliced cooked ham.
He said that product was pulled from the store immediately, but consumers at the store have become more cautious in their shopping habits and the sale of sliced process meats has slowed.rnIt's virtually non-existent now, he said.
To view the complete list of recalled food products, go to www.inspection.gc.ca
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