According to spokeswoman Anna Kirk, four patients at Hawke's Bay Hospital, which is located in Hastings, have been diagnosed with the foodborne illness. It is believed that the illness has led to two deaths.
While the hospital was not able to initially identify the source of contamination, testing of food products showed a positive result for the bacteria, reported Bloomberg.com.
The company noted that hospital outbreak is of significant concern, and added that it has employed an independent food safety expert to review its practices and procedures.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can lead to foodborne illness known as Listeriosis. The symptoms of an infection include fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea. The illness is especially dangerous to pregnant women, newborn babies and those with compromised immune systems.
