Each new day brings more tragic news in this year’s deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak.

Today, Nebraska reported its first outbreak death from listeriosis – a man in his 80’s from the western part of the state. Nebraska now has six confirmed cases of listeriosis – all of them apparently associated with the Colorado cantaloupe outbreak.

New Mexico’s confirmed and suspect case count and death toll also increased today. The state now has 10 confirmed cases, including 4 deaths. An additional three illnesses are under investigation; one of those three people has died.

According to the Denver Post, the number of cases in Colorado has increased to 15.

Finally, Kansas reported yesterday evening that five of its Listeria monocytogenes cases have been confirmed as matching the multi-state outbreak; three more cases are still pending. Two of the eight Kansas patients died.

With these updates, the number of confirmed and suspect cases – and deaths – are as follows:

• California:- 1 confirmed outbreak case; none of the recalled cantaloupes were shipped to California.
• Colorado:- 15 confirmed outbreak cases, including 2 deaths.
• Illinois:- 1 confirmed outbreak case; no additional cases under investigation at this time. The infected individual is an 82-year-old woman from suburban Cook County. She became ill on September 7th, and was subsequently hospitalized.
• Indiana:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. None of the recalled cantaloupes were shipped directly to Indiana.
• Kansas:– 5 confirmed cases; 3 cases under investigation. Two deaths.
• Maryland:- 1 fatal confirmed outbreak case. None if the recalled cantaloupes were shipped directly to Maryland.
• Missouri:- 2 cases under investigation. One death.
• Montana:- 1 confirmed outbreak case in Yellowstone County; 1 suspect case from Gallatin County. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Montana.
• Nebraska:- 6 confirmed outbreak cases, all 70+ years old; two victims are 90+ years old. One death.
• New Mexico:- 10 confirmed outbreak cases, including 4 deaths. All 10 individuals were hospitalized. Victims’ ages range from 43 to 96 years, and include 6 women and 4 men. Patients are from seven different New Mexico counties.Three additional cases – including 1 death – are under investigation.
• Oklahoma:-  8 confirmed outbreak cases, including one death. Two additional cases are under investigation. Outbreak-related illnesses have been reported from Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Love and McCurtain counties. Victims range from 61 to 96 years old; two-thirds are male.
• Texas:- 9 confirmed outbreak cases.
• Virginia:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Virginia.
• West Virginia:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to West Virginia.
• Wisconsin:- 2 confirmed outbreak cases. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Wisconsin.
• Wyoming:- 1 confirmed outbreak case.

Clearly, FDA has no intention of releasing any distribution information beyond a list of states to which the cantaloupes are believed to have been shipped. Unlike USDA, FDA apparently does not believe that making this information public is an appropriate part of its mandate.

For an updated list of retailers and food service distributors who may have – or who report that they have not – sold the recalled cantaloupes, please visit eFoodAlert’s updated retail distribution list.

Colorado has registered a second death in the lethal outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that was traced to contaminated cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, CO. The state now confirms 14 outbreak cases of the bacterial illness, up from 12 cases just two days ago.

In all, sixteen states report confirmed or suspect outbreak cases. In additional to the basic information available in the CDC Investigation Update, several of these states have released more details about the victims in their states, either on their websites, in news media articles, or in response to my email enquiries.

Here is what we know, as of today:

• California:- 1 confirmed outbreak case; none of the recalled cantaloupes were shipped to California.
• Colorado:- 14 confirmed outbreak cases, including 2 deaths.
• Illinois:- 1 confirmed outbreak case; no additional cases under investigation at this time. The infected individual is an 82-year-old woman from suburban Cook County. She became ill on September 7th, and was subsequently hospitalized.
• Indiana:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. None of the recalled cantaloupes were shipped directly to Indiana.
• Kansas:- 8 cases under investigation, including 2 deaths. Additional lab testing is pending.
• Maryland:- 1 fatal confirmed outbreak case. None if the recalled cantaloupes were shipped directly to Maryland.
• Missouri:- 2 cases under investigation. One death.
• Montana:- 1 confirmed outbreak case in Yellowstone County; 1 suspect case from Gallatin County. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Montana.
• Nebraska:- 4 confirmed outbreak cases, all 70+ years old; two victims are 90+ years old. All four victims were hospitalized. There were no deaths.
• New Mexico:- 10 confirmed outbreak cases, including 4 deaths. All 10 individuals were hospitalized. Victims’ ages range from 43 to 96 years, and include 6 women and 4 men. Patients are from seven different New Mexico counties.
• Oklahoma:-  8 confirmed outbreak cases, including one death. Two additional cases are under investigation. Outbreak-related illnesses have been reported from Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Love and McCurtain counties. Victims range from 61 to 96 years old; two-thirds are male.
• Texas:- 9 confirmed outbreak cases.
• Virginia:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Virginia.
• West Virginia:- 1 confirmed outbreak case. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to West Virginia.
• Wisconsin:- 2 confirmed outbreak cases. Recalled cantaloupes were not shipped directly to Wisconsin.
• Wyoming:- 1 confirmed outbreak case.

In total, 16 states have reported at least one confirmed or suspect Listeria monocytogenes illness. Fifty-five cases of Listeria monocytogenes are confirmed to be part of this outbreak; 8 out of 55 (14.5%) confirmed outbreak victims have died. Of the 13 illnesses under investigation, 3 were fatal.

The totals are tragic.

• Eleven people dead.
• 68 infected in 16 states.
• Overall death rate of 16.2%.

One of the frightening – and frustrating – aspects of this outbreak for US consumers is that no one in authority is releasing information on where the contaminated cantaloupes were sold. FDA has said nothing. Jensen has said nothing. Colorado has said nothing. Only a few supermarket chains have posted recall information.

In my email request for information, which I sent to all 50 states, I specifically asked the question, “Can you provide any information on which retailers in your state sold the implicated melons?” Not a single state responded to that question substantively.

Food recalls rarely are 100% effective. Some supermarket chains are better than others at passing the word to individual store managers. Some stores never act on the recall notice, whether through overwork, ignorance or inertia.

Consumers have the right to know where a recalled food was sold, so that they can act to protect themselves. The  refusal of FDA and most state agencies to provide this information is unconscionable. And it puts the health of the general public at risk unnecessarily.

In the absence of an official retail distribution list, a consolidated list of the limited recall information that is available can be found at “Did Your Supermarket Sell Colorado Cantaloupes?”

Finally, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has the following recommendation for consumers:

“The OSDH recommends individuals to be aware that recalled cantaloupes may still be in consumers’ homes. The OSDH recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, not eat cantaloupes shipped by Jensen Farms. A label on the cantaloupe will have the Jensen Farm brand. Consumers who have cantaloupes in their homes can check the label or inquire at the store where they purchased it to determine if the fruit was marketed as coming from Jensen Farms. Cantaloupes marketed as coming from Jensen Farms should be not be consumed and should be discarded.”

CDC confirmed today that a total of 35 people infected with Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 10 states across the USA. Confirmed outbreak cases were identified in California (1), Colorado (12), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (5), Oklahoma (6), Texas (3) and West Virginia (1), according to the federal agency. Four people have died – two in New Mexico, and one each in Colorado and Oklahoma.

In addition to the 35 confirmed cases, the following states have reported other cases that are still under investigation: Kansas (6), Missouri (2), Montana (1), New Mexico (5), Oklahoma (4), and Wyoming (1). These numbers include three fatal cases – two in New Mexico and one in Missouri.

If all of the suspect cases now under investigation are confirmed to be part of the outbreak, the total number of victims will increase to 54 people in 13 states – even if no additional new cases are reported.

And the death toll will rise to seven.

On September 16th, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported having recovered the outbreak strain from several cantaloupe samples originating from Jensen Farms, Inc. (Holly, CO). Earlier today, FDA confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on Jensen Farms’ Rocky-Ford brand cantaloupes, and on samples taken from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms packing facility.

Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford cantaloupes last week, when the melons first were implicated in the outbreak, and before lab confirmation was available. A partial retail distribution list can be found on eFoodAlert, and will be updated periodically as more information becomes available.

According to CDC, at least one-half of the 35 confirmed outbreak victims are elderly – the median age of patients is 81 years. Overall, confirmed case-patients range between 35 to 96 years of age. Nearly two-thirds of the patients are female. All 28 of the victims for whom information is available were hospitalized.

Yesterday, I sent a message to my government contacts all fifty states, requesting information on this outbreak. So far, I have received detailed information from Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas, which I have reported below. Some states (those with live links) have released additional details on-line.

Illinois:- The lone confirmed Illinois victim is from Cook County. No other details are available.

Kansas:- The state has recorded six cases of Listeria monocytogenes infections since August 26th. As of September 15th, none of the cases had been definitively linked to the outbreak; however, investigations are still underway and lab results are pending. Rocky Ford cantaloupes were distributed in Kansas.

Missouri:- The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is investigating two cases of Listeria monocytogenes that may be linked to the multistate outbreak.

Montana:- The confirmed outbreak victim is from Yellowstone County; the case under investigation is from Gallatin County.

Nebraska:- All four of Nebraska’s confirmed cases are 70+ years old, including one in his/her 80s and 2 in his/her 90s. All four of the victims were hospitalized, and all survived. The first illness onset in Nebraska is reported to be July 21st, and the most recent was September 10th.

New Mexico:- New Mexico reports five confirmed cases, including 2 deaths. An additional five cases – including 2 more deaths – are still under investigation. All ten cases were hospitalized. Victims’ ages range from 43 to 96 years, and include 6 women and 4 men. Patients are from seven different New Mexico counties. The earliest patient developed symptoms on August 20th; the most recent on September 8th. New Mexico reports that its Environment Department is working with Frontera Produce (Jensen Farms’ distributor) to assure the removal of recalled cantaloupes from grocery stores.

Oklahoma:- All six confirmed outbreak victims and all four still under investigation are at least 60 years old. All six of the confirmed victims were hospitalized.

Texas:- All three confirmed outbreak victims became ill in August; all three were hospitalized. The victims live in three different parts of the state – one each in North Texas, Southeast Texas and Far West Texas.

West Virginia:- The recalled cantaloupes were not distributed in this state. The one confirmed outbreak victim in West Virginia may have become ill in another state, according to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. The recalled Rocky Ford cantaloupes were distributed in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Wyoming:- One case of Listeria monocytogenes – a Laramie County man – is under investigation. The patient reported exposure to cantaloupe.

In addition, the following states confirmed by email that they have no Listeria monocytogenes cases under investigation: Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and Oregon.

CDC reminds consumers to take the following precautions during this outbreak:

• CDC recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms. Even if some of the cantaloupe has been eaten without anyone becoming ill, the rest of the cantaloupe should be disposed of immediately. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures.
• Other consumers who want to reduce their risk of Listeria infection should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.
• The recalled cantaloupes may have a sticker which looks like the image to the right. Not all of the recalled cantaloupes are labeled with a sticker. Consumers should consult the retailer if they have questions about the origin of a cantaloupe.
• Listeriosis primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. Persons who think they might have become ill from eating contaminated cantaloupe should consult their doctor immediately.
• Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating them.