Canadian meat linked to fatal outbreak

TORONTO, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A national recall of prepared meats in Canada was expanded Thursday after one person died and 16 others fell sick in four provinces, health officials said.

Maple Leaf Foods announced it was closing a Toronto processing plant after an outbreak of bacterial listeriosis affected 13 people in Ontario, two in British Columbia and one each in Saskatchewan and Quebec, the Toronto Star reported.

More than 1 million pounds of 20 ready-to-eat deli meats primarily distributed to hospitals, retirement and nursing homes and such fast-food outlets including McDonalds were initially recalled Wednesday because of fears of the bacterial contamination. The recall was expanded to all Maple Leaf products sold in grocery stores, which were being pulled from shelves nationwide, the report said.

The infection causes high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea and it can take from two to 90 days for symptoms to appear, public health officials said.

Maple Leaf spokeswoman Linda Smith told the newspaper the Toronto plant will remain closed until Monday while employees sanitize equipment under federal health officials' supervision and under go a half-day of food safety training.