Woman dies and catering company closes after listeria outbreak
A commercial catering business in Melbourne’s southeast has closed following the death of a woman from listeriosis.
The Victorian Health Department has shut down I Cook Foods, in Dandenong South, after a woman in her 80s died in Knox Private Hospital after eating a meal made by the catering company.
I Cook Foods supplies food to aged care facilities, Meals on Wheels customers and several hospitals in Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs.
Health authorities have since tested multiple food products from the business and returned six positive samples for listeriosis.
The facility was closed overnight and thoroughly cleaned.
It is not expected to re-open until further testing and improvements have been made.
Urgent listeria warning
The Victorian Health Department has issued an urgent warning to anyone who has come into contact with the catering business’s food since February.
“More than a third of people infected can die,” Victoria’s acting chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton said.
“Anyone who is elderly, immunised suppressed or pregnant women are at particular risk of invasive listeria disease.”
Listeriosis is an illness associated with food contamination.
Its gestation period is approximately two weeks and symptoms include fever, headaches and tiredness.
I Cook Foods has been contacted for comment.
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