Speaking notes
for Dr. David Butler-Jones,
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

Technical Briefing on Listeriosis Outbreak

September 2, 2008

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Good afternoon - I'm Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.

Thank you for being here.

Information on food safety and how we can reduce our risk is so important, not just today, and not just during outbreaks, but every day.

In total, there are still 19 deaths among the 38 confirmed cases.  Listeriosis has been identified as the underlying or contributing cause in 12 of these deaths.

In addition, there are 14 suspected cases still under investigation.  This is down from the 21 of yesterday.

Further details on the distribution of numbers by province are available on our website at publichealth.gc.ca.

For those of you who have the graph – or epidemiological curve – of where cases first had symptoms, you'll see the bulk of the outbreak occurred in late July.

With increased awareness and testing, we will continue to see this and other strains picked up.

Given when most cases occurred, and given the recall, we expect few new cases will relate to this outbreak.

Once again, I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to anyone who is or has been ill, anyone who is caring for a sick loved one, or to anyone who has lost somebody as a result of this outbreak.

I think the concern shown in this situation is completely understandable.

And while food poisoning is common, and while it is rarely a result of the food system, we take all cases seriously as we try to find and control preventable causes.

Keep in mind that, for the most part, listeria does not pose a big risk to people who are healthy. If you're healthy and you're exposed to listeria, you will rarely be affected.

It is a common bacteria in the environment. Fortunately, illness is rare, but those at higher risk are: infants, seniors, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

I want to get some basic food safety advice out there.

Canadians need to know that there is a lot we can do to protect ourselves and our families.

And again, these are things that don't only apply today, and not only when we're in the midst of an outbreak. Basic food safety is important every day. And that includes for parents who are packing lunches for children going back to school.

As a general rule, people that are part of any of the vulnerable groups we're listing, should avoid non-dried deli meats.

Raw, unpasteurized milk and dairy products are a risk.

And, something we often forget, and that needs to be said again: it is important that fruits and vegetables are washed.

Plus, we need to clean up after ourselves in the kitchen. Always wash our hands before and after preparing food and before eating. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, even in the lunchbox. And if we're not sure that something's still good to eat, throw it out.

You can get some simple food safety tips on the Public Health Agency's web site at publichealth.gc.ca.

We continue to work proactively with our provincial and territorial counterparts to make sure that all available information is being provided to Canadians on an on-going basis.

This country has one of the safest food supplies in the world. But we have to be vigilant. Nature is constantly inventive, and at any point, from farm to our kitchen, outbreaks can and will happen.

The point is to reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks, both large and small. And every one of us has a role to play in doing just that.

At any given time we are dealing with several different outbreaks. We also continue to better understand and advise on how to prevent and control both large and small outbreaks.

Canada's food safety and public health systems are constantly learning lessons from these outbreaks, and we're applying those lessons to improve the health and safety of all Canadians.

Thank you. Merci.