A second Texas resident who became ill from listeria linked to cantaloupes from a Colorado farm has died, officials say.
Tarrant County health officials were notified by the Texas Department of State Health Services that two cases of listeria in the county were connected to contaminated cantaloupes out of Colorado.
One of the reported cases, involving an elderly resident with multiple underlying health conditions, resulted in the person dying. The other case, a middle-aged resident, has been released from the hospital.
On Monday, Dallas County health officials reported the death of an 89-year-old Dallas County resident ill from listeria was also linked to the outbreak.
TDSHS spokeswoman Carrie Williams said Tuesday that the two deaths are among 14 cases of listeria illnesses in Texas linked to the outbreak.
The outbreak has been traced to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado, which has recalled the tainted produce. Jensen Farms said the recalled Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes were shipped from July 29 through Sept. 10 to more than a dozen states, including Texas.
Because listeria bacteria can grow at room temperature and in the refrigerator, it is important to sanitize countertops and vegetable drawers where the fruit may have been stored.
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Any person who develops symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, accompanied by fever, who may have ingested cantaloupe from Jensen Farms should seek medical attention.
