Charlie Smith of The Olive Press reports 80 people have now contracted listeria in Andalucia, 15 of whom are pregnant.

The disease, which can be fatal, has hospitalised 56 of those who have been infected, according to the Junta de Andalucia.

Several of those infected are believed to have eaten the meat products of the Sevilla-based pork firm Magrudis.

The company’s star product, its meatloaf, called ‘Mecha’ has been widely cited by Spanish media as the source of the spread of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The family-run business, which launched in 2013, ceased production on August 15, while a spokesperson said: “I’m very sorry, from now on we are not going to make any more statements about it.”

It comes after the company admitted that over 2,000 packs of its meat products were infected with the bacteria.

Most hospitalised patients are in Sevilla, with 43 recorded so far in the Andalucian capital.