Toronto Public Health is investigating three cases of Listeria in people who allegedly ate sandwiches from a Druxy’s deli at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre near College St. and University Ave.

The health agency is urging anyone who ate meat at the location between Jan. 1 and March 12 to watch for symptoms of Listeria and seek medical attention if they appear.

“Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and cramps. Severe symptoms include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, and can develop suddenly in those with a weak immune system because of a medical treatment or a medical illness, and the elderly,” Toronto Public Health said in a statement Wednesday.

“Symptoms usually occur within three weeks of eating foods contaminated with Listeria.”

According to the agency, healthy people may only experience light symptoms and usually recover completely, and individuals without symptoms need not be tested.

Those who are pregnant, elderly or have weakened immune systems are most likely to develop a serious illness.

“We take the situation very seriously in the vulnerable environment of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre,” said Harold Druxerman, vice-president of finance and one of three brothers who run the franchise chain.

“We immediately shut down and called in a professional cleaning crew,” Druxerman said. “We’re waiting to reopen with Toronto Public Health’s approval.”

The Toronto Public Health statement said an investigation is underway, and staff have collected samples from food and surfaces in the eatery for testing, and ordered a “thorough cleaning of the restaurant and the restaurant equipment.”

“The restaurant is closed and the owner is co-operating with Toronto Public Health to ensure there is no further risk to the public,” the statement said.

Dr. Vinita Dubey, and associate medical officer of health at the agency said a Listeria outbreak is concerning regardless of where it happens, but “there may be more individuals with weakened immune systems who ate the food in the hospital,” compared to another downtown location, so more people may get sick.

Dubey said they were alerted to a case of Listeria at the beginning of March and found out the individual ate at the location in question. After some testing, the agency found that two more people who had eaten there in January and February also had symptoms and the deli was shut down.

“The restaurant has been extremely cooperative,” Dubey said.

The location was deep cleaned and staff received special training, so the deli should reopen soon, she said.

According to Toronto’s Dine Safe website, the deli received a conditional pass on March 12, when an inspection found that the location operator had failed to properly wash utensils and provide an easily readable thermometer, both of which are deemed to be significant infractions.

Prior to that, the restaurant received another significant infraction and a crucial infraction on March 2 for not providing supplies at sinks, and failing to maintain hazardous foods at 4 C or colder, respectively.

The deli then passed an inspection on March 5, but was inspected once again a week later.

The statement says there is no vaccine to prevent Listeria, but it can be treated with antibiotics.

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The illness is rare, but serious, and is caused by eating food contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

“Common foods contaminated with this bacteria include deli meats and unpasteurized dairy products,” the agency said.

Toronto Public Health said the city receives an average of 17 reports of Listeria infection each year.