\u2019Tis the season to be merry where lots of food will be prepared and enjoyed with loved ones.<\/p>\n
As a result, the metro urges residents to practice precautionary measures when preparing food.<\/p>
This comes after the National Health Department announced the listeriosis outbreak throughout the country last week.<\/p>\n
Listeriosis is food poisoning caused by eating foods contaminated with the listeria monocytogenes bacterium.<\/p>
The bacterium is found in vegetation, soil, water and some animals, including poultry and cattle.<\/p>\n
It can also be found in raw milk and food made from raw milk.<\/p>\n
Through cooking and pasteurisation it can be killed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Healthy Friday: Help your pancreas survive the festive season<\/a><\/p>\n Healthy Friday: Festive drinking and the serious threat to your pancreas<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The following precautionary measures should be taken to prevent the disease:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 No drinking raw (unpasteurised) milk or eating food with unpasteurised milk in it.<\/p>\n \u2022 Wash hands, knives, countertops and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked food.<\/p>\n \u2022 Rinse raw vegetables thoroughly before eating.<\/p>\n \u2022 Keep uncooked meat, poultry, and seafood separate from vegetables, fruit, cooked food and ready-to-eat food.<\/p>\n \u2022 Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources – such as meat, poultry, or seafood – to a safe internal temperature.<\/p>\n \u2022 Heat hot dogs, cold cuts and deli meats before eating them.<\/p>\n Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches and sometimes nausea or diarrhea.<\/p>\n If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions can occur.<\/p>\n Seek medical help should you experience any of these symptoms after consuming unpasteurised foods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n