OTTAWA – Officials on Tuesday said that the worst of a listeriosis outbreak that has killed 12 and sickened 38 may be over.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said that the confirmed number of deaths where listeriosis was the underlying or contributing cause has remained steady at 12. The number of suspected cases has dropped to 14.

According to Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer, the worst of the exposure to Listeria probably occurred towards the end of June, and since the incubation period for listeriosis ranges between three to 70 days, it's expected the number of new cases being reported will dwindle.

Health officials have reportedly linked the outbreak to processed meat products from a Maple Leaf Foods Ltd. plant in Toronto. The company issued a recall of virtually all the products produced at the plant.

Source: Canadian Press