The World Health Organization is coordinating efforts among 16 African countries in an attempt to contain the world’s largest ever Listeria outbreak as officials in Namibia try to discern whether a sick person in that country contracted listeriosis from processed meat imported from South Africa. A statement on Tuesday says WHO has reached out to 16 countries to help with preparedness and response to the listeriosis outbreak that has killed nearly 200 people since January 2017.

WHO says contaminated meat products may have been exported to two West African countries and a dozen southern African ones. Company officials with Rainbow doubled down on denials that the foodborne pathogen is not present in their plant, directly challenging South Africa’s Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi. Listeria is ubiquitous and is primarily transmitted via the oral route after ingestion of contaminated food products



According to WHO numbers, nearly 200 South Africans have died since January 2017 as a result of contaminated ready-to-eat meat products that are widely consumed in the country and may also have been exported to two West African countries and 14 members of the South African Development Community. The WHO, however, does not currently recommend any trade related measures in relation to the current outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa, other than the recall of products identified as sources of infection. “… in light of the potentially long incubation period of listeriosis and the challenges relating to large scale nationwide recall processes, further cases are likely to occur,” according to a statement from the WHO detailing how countries need to work together on improving abilities to prepare for, detect and respond to outbreaks. The other African countries are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Listeriosis is a bacterial infection most commonly caused by Listeria monocytogenes.
The World Health Organisation says a listeria outbreak spread via infected food responsible for 200 deaths in South Africa may have spread to Namibia. The organisation reaches out to 16 African nations it assesses as at risk.