PRETORIA - The Sovereign Food abattoir in Pretoria has been temporarily closed following the discovery of listeria pathogens in some meat products.

The discovery comes after a patient was recently diagnosed with the food-borne disease.

Officials traced the patient’s chicken to a shop in Pretoria.

Further investigation led to the abattoir.

Over 365 cases of listeriosis have been detected in Gauteng this year, with 28 deaths.

Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa is calling on Pretoria residents to work with officials to contain the disease.

“In order to trace the origin and also to contain the outbreak, the MMC for health in the city of Tshwane Mr Sakkie Du Plooy assured that the city’s Environmental Health Practitioners are carrying out home visits to all clients who were confirmed to be Listeriosis positive and collecting food samples from the affected clients," she said.

The samples have been submitted to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

In the meantime, the Gauteng Department of Health is calling upon people to practice basic hygiene, for example, by washing hands anytime they visit a restroom and washing their vegetables and fruits before consuming them.