--- title: South African Listeria Death Toll Jumps date: 2018-02-23T15:45:54-08:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/south-african-listeria-death-toll-jumps" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / # South African Listeria Death Toll Jumps IT has been more than a year since the first listeriosis case was reported to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, however the source still remains unknown. There have been 915 laboratory-confirmed cases of listeriosis and the outbreak has already claimed 172 lives. Gauteng has the highest number of reported cases in South Africa with 59 per cent and KZN has reported seven per cent of the total cases. Listeria is a bacterium that is naturally found in the environment. It commonly occurs in soil, water, vegetation and in the faeces of some animals. It can contaminate a wide variety of food types, including meat and meat products, dairy products (unpasteurised and pasteurised), fresh and frozen produce (fruits, vegetables and sprouts) and ready-to-eat products. This fact, coupled with a variable incubation period that can range from six hours to 70 days, poses a major challenge in determining the source of the outbreak. ### Other Listeria Lawsuits [Clover Hill Dairy Cheese sickens 12 with Listeria - 1 Death](https://marlerclark.com/clover-hill-dairy-cheese-sickens-8-with-listeria) [70 Sickened by Salmonella Cantaloupe](https://marlerclark.com/70-sickened-by-salmonella-cantaloupe) [Headcheese linked to Listeria illnesses in Illinois](https://marlerclark.com/headcheese-linked-to-listeria-illnesses-in-illinois) [Kroger and Walmart Pasta Listeria Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/kroger-and-walmart-pasta-listeria-outbreak) [Listeria Outbreak linked to Kroger and Walmart Chicken Fettuccine](https://marlerclark.com/listeria-outbreak-linked-to-kroger-and-walmart-chicken-fettuccine) [Fresh & Ready Foods linked to California and Nevada Listeria Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/fresh-ready-foods-linked-to-california-and-nevida-listeria-outbreak) [14 Listeria Deaths tied to Lyons ReadyCare or Sysco Shakes](https://marlerclark.com/11-listeria-deaths-tied-to-lyons-readycare-or-sysco) [Boar's Head Deli Meat Sickens 61 in 19 States with Deadly Listeria - 10 deaths](https://marlerclark.com/deli-meat-hits-28-in-12-states-with-deadly-listeria) [Rizo-López Foods recalls cheese after deadly Listeria Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/rizo-l%C3%B3pez-foods-recalls-cheese-after-deadly-listeria-outbreak) [Listeria Outbreak linked to Peaches - 11 Sick with 1 Death](https://marlerclark.com/listeria-outbreak-linked-to-peaches-11-sick) [Listeria Outbreak linked to Frugals \| Marler Clark by retained three victims](https://marlerclark.com/listeria-outbreak-announced-in-washington) [Six States Report 16 Victims of Listeria Linked to Deli Meat and Cheeses](https://marlerclark.com/six-states-report-victims-of-listeria-outbreak-linked-to-deli-meat-and-cheeses) ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### Get Help #### Affected by an outbreak or recall? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [Listeria Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/about-listeria) What is Listeria and how does it cause food poisoning? Listeria is a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that is ubiquitous and can grow under either anaerobic (without oxygen) or aerobic (with... ###### [The Incidence of Listeria Infections](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/the-incidence-of-listeria-infections) How common are Listeria infections? Listeria bacteria are found widely in the environment in soil, including in decaying vegetation and water, and may be part of the fecal flora of... ###### [The Prevalence of Listeria in Food and the Environment](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-prevalence) Listeria bacteria are common in nature. Listeria monocytogenes is omnipresent in nature; it is found widely in such places as water, soil, infected animals, human and animal feces, raw and... ###### [Transmission of and Infection with Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/transmission-of-and-infection-with-listeria) Listeria typically spreads to people through contaminated food or water, but can also be transmitted from mother to fetus. Except for the transmission of mother to fetus, human-to-human transmission of... ###### [Who is Most at Risk of Becoming Ill with Listeria?](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/who-is-most-at-risk-for-becoming-ill-with-listeria) The elderly, pregnant women, and anyone immunocompromised is most at risk for contracting Listeria. Several segments of the population are at increased risk and need to be informed so that... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)