The outbreak of listeriosis linked to whole Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes from Colorado's Jensen Farms is now more than six times larger than it was when the first public warnings about contaminated melons were issued just three weeks ago.
In its eighth update on the rapidly expanding outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta said 100 people from 20 states have been confirmed infected with one or more of the four outbreak associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes.Eighteen deaths are now attributed to the outbreak.
Two more deaths in Colorado and one in Kansas were the additional fatalities since CDC's last update on Sept. 29, when 15 deaths were reported. Arkansas reported its first case linked to the outbreak.
The listeriosis outbreak is responsible for five deaths each in Colorado and New Mexico and two each in Kansas and Texas. States with one death each are Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
More Listeria-connected deaths are likely and may well have already occurred. CDC's update is good through 11 a.m. Oct. 3. Media reports say there have been other deaths that are not yet included in the CDC totals.