Listeria outbreak in deli meat and cheese reaches California. Here’s how to avoid it

There is a listeria outbreak linked to deli meats and cheese, and it has reached California, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week.

This includes cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs and pâtés sold at the deli.

The outbreak has recently been found in six states: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois and California, according to the CDC. Currently, 16 people are reported sick with the bacteria, including one person in California. Thirteen were hospitalized and one died due to illness.

There’s no recall on any specific deli meat or cheese, due to how easily the bacteria spreads from food to nearby surfaces, and can stay active for a long time.

“A contaminated food likely introduced the outbreak strain of Listeria into delis in multiple states,” the CDC stated in its investigation notice. “Investigators are working to identify any specific products or delis that may be contaminated with the outbreak strain.”

How to prevent illness

According to the health agency, you are at higher risk of contracting listeria if you are pregnant, 65 and older or are immunocompromised. You can reduce your risk by:

• Not eating meat or cheese from any deli counter, unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot.
• Cleaning your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have touched deli meat or cheese from the deli.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of severe Listeria illness after eating meat or cheese from a deli:

• People who are not pregnant may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches.
• Pregnant people usually experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns.

This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 3:50 PM.