’Tis the season to eat handfuls of prawns, tray after tray of oysters and enough ham to make you unfasten the top button of your favourite pair of festive slacks.
However, according to Victorian health authorities, these silly-season staples, paired with Australia’s scorching weather conditions, could be a recipe for disaster…
What caused this breaking health warning is that as many as seven serious (and in one tragic case, lethal) cases of food poisoning, from a bacteria called listeria, have been reported in Victoria in the last three weeks.
While Victorian health minister Jill Hennessey says that these cases aren’t related, she does suggest ways of safeguarding your health from the very real threat of food poisoning this holiday season.
“Seven cases in three weeks is a significant increase in those notifications,” she told Channel 7 reporters.
“Think about how you’re going to store your food, how you’re going to transport things on Christmas Day and of course be wary of leftovers,” she says.
What is listeria?
As described by Better Health Victoria, listeria is, typically, an uncommon illness caused by eating foods contaminated by the bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes.
In extreme cases, it can cause death of those most at risk, including elderly people, as well as pregnant women and their unborn babies.
Authorities encourage at-risk people to avoid foods including raw seafood (like oysters and sashimi), as well as soft cheeses, deli meats and leftovers in a bid tor reduce their chances of falling ill to listeria.
Symptoms of listeria:
• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Aches and pain
These can lead to more serious problems, including:
• Meningitis (brain infection)
• Septicaemia (blood poisoning)
If you, or someone you know, shows signs of food poisoning during the Christmas period, seek medical attention immediately.
