Third Mass. death blamed on infected milk

BOSTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A third elderly man has died in an outbreak of listeriosis linked to a central Massachusetts dairy.

The victim, identified only as an 87-year-old from Norfolk County southeast of Boston, became sick in November and died last week, The Boston Globe reported.

The source of the infection is believed to be Whittier Farms, a Worcester-area dairy. Whittier had previously been known as an old-fashioned company that still home-delivered milk and other dairy products, and sold milk in glass bottles.

Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the Massachusetts director of communicable disease control, said five cases of listeriosis had been identified. The most recent to be discovered was a woman diagnosed with listeriosis in September while hospitalized to deliver a baby. Health officials have found she drank Whittier milk before becoming sick.