Reports of new illnesses slows; CDC continues to investigate the Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats

A CDC Food Safety Alert update regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections has been posted at Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis | Listeria Infection | CDC.

Key Points:

• Since the last update on August 28, two more illnesses and one more death have been reported. The death was reported from New York.
• As of September 25, a total of 59 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 19 states. All 59 people have been hospitalized and there were 10 deaths.
• Illness reports have started to decrease, and CDC will update this notice less frequently. Because it can take up to 10 weeks for some people to have symptoms of listeriosis, CDC will continue to collect information for some time and report new information as it is available.
• Do not eat recalled deli meats. Some of the products have sell by dates into October 2024.

What You Should Do:

• Do not eat recalled deli products. Throw them away or contact stores about returns.
• People who are at higher risk for getting sick with Listeria, such as those who are pregnant, are aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system, should always avoid eating meats sliced at deli counters, unless heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.
• Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.
• Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of Listeria and recently ate meats sliced at deli counters.
• Businesses that received recalled meats should take extra precautions like cleaning and sanitizing and throwing away opened sliced meats and cheeses at delis. Businesses should also follow USDA-FSIS best practices for controlling Listeria contamination in deli areas.

About Listeria:

• Listeria can cause severe illness (known as invasive listeriosis) when the bacteria spread beyond the gut to other parts of the body.
• Pregnant people typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threating infection of the newborn.
• People who are not pregnant may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches.
• Symptoms of severe illness usually start 1 to 4 weeks after eating contaminated food with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 70 days after.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state's health department.

Thank you,

CDC Media Support Branch
404-639-3286
Media@cdc.gov