Listeria was responsible for the deaths of two Danes in April, reports Statens Serum Institut (SSI).

Earlier in the month, health officials had revealed that five people had been infected in the space of just one week – the average tends to be one case per week.

Same strain as last year
The two people who died were both diagnosed with the same listeria bacterium responsible for 17 deaths last year.

“It is unusual to see five cases in one week,” noted Dr Kari Mølbak from the SSI.

Better at detecting
“But it is also unusual for us to so quickly confirm what type of listeria it is. It is an indication that our diagnosis is getting better.”

Mølbak confirmed there is a possibility that last year’s outbreak, which was caused by processed meat products made by the company Jørn A Rullepøser outbreak, “could have been rekindled”.

Other experts shared Mølbak’s confidence that the country’s listeria detection was improving and that Denmark is now better equipped to locate the source of future outbreaks.