But meats were not the only product affected by Listeria. In another CFIA warning dated August 29, 2008, certain fresh cheeses from La Chaudière Inc. (Lac-Mégantic, Quebec) were found to be tainted with Listeria. In addition, more recent warnings have been released concerning cheeses from Ivanhoe Cheese Inc. (Madoc, Ontario). The recall in Quebec was based on a Salmonella outbreak investigation underway in that province. So far, there are no known infections caused by Ivanhoe cheese products. CFIA spokesman Garfield Balsom reports there is no connection between the Listeria strain contained in meats from Maple Leaf and either of the cheese companies.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (equivalent to the US CDC), in cooperation with Health Canada and CFIA, confirms 38 cases of Listeria across Canada with the same genetic fingerprint, coinciding with the Maple Leaf Foods outbreak. In addition, 14 deaths have been reported where Listeriosis is the underlying or contributing factor.