Listeriosis claims more lives
Health authorities released their latest report on Thursday, as the listeriosis death toll continues to climb.
189 people have now died from listeriosis since January 2017, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Thursday.
"As of 26 March 2018, a total of 982 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases have been reported to NICD since 01 January 2017," reads the institute's latest update.
The source of the outbreak has been traced back to an Enterprise cold meats processing factory in Polokwane.
The products from this facility, as well as from an Enterprise facility in Germiston and a Rainbow Chicken factory in Sasolburg, were recalled in early March.
Class action application
"The Company and Enterprise Foods were served with an application issued by Richard Spoor Attorneys for an order declaring the constitution of four classes of claimants who will seek compensation," reads a statement by the company.
Richard Spoor Attorneys applied to the high court on Thursday morning - asking for a two stage process to go ahead: estabhlish the extent of the company's liability; determine whether the claimants consumed contaminated products and suffered damages.
Tiger Brands, which has not indicated whether it will oppose the suit, says the application consists of four classes of victims.
"The first class comprises individuals who contracted listeriosis - but did not die - as a consequence of consuming Enterprise products.
The second class comprises individuals who, while in utero, contracted listeriosis - but did not die - as a consequence of their mothers’ consuming Enterprise products.
The third class comprises individuals who were dependent upon other individuals who contracted listeriosis and subsequently died as a consequence of consuming Enterprise products.
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The fourth class comprises individuals who are and/or were responsible for the maintenance of or were in fact maintaining, other individuals who contracted listeriosis from consuming Enterprise products, whether they died as a consequence of the infection or not."
The NICD says 23 confirmed cases have been reported since the processed meats were recalled in early March.
10 of those confirmed they "consumed implicated food products" and two others "had direct contact with recalled food products".
The NICD further states these exposures occurred prior to the recall.
Health authorities anticipate more cases to be reported as the disease has an incubation period of up to 70 days, while some of the contaminated foods, bought before the recall, could still be consumed given its long shelf life.