Death in Illinois is one of two cases attributed to food poisoning caused by listeria after cold cuts

JONEL ALECCIA, Associated Press and BJ Lutz

1 hour ago

FILE – This 2002 electron microscope image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium that causes the food-borne illness listeriosis. (Elizabeth White/CDC via AP, File)

CHICAGO — An Illinois resident is one of two people killed in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning traced to meat sliced ​​at a supermarket deli counter, federal health officials said Friday.

At least 28 people in a dozen states have been sickened, most of them – seven – in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The second death was a New Jersey resident. Samples were collected from May 29 to July 5, and so far all people confirmed to be involved in the outbreak have been hospitalized.

Many of those affected reported eating meat that had been sliced ​​at a grocery store’s deli counter. So far, there is no evidence that people are getting sick from packaged deli meats, the CDC said. Most commonly, those affected reported eating sliced ​​turkey, liver sausage and ham, officials said. The CDC does not have enough information to say which deli meat is the cause of the outbreak.

Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and fatigue and can cause neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can appear quickly or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are especially dangerous for people over 65, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women, who can experience miscarriages. This outbreak affects people ages 32 to 94, with an average age of 75. One pregnant person became ill but kept the pregnancy, officials said.

A listeria outbreak in 2019 that spread to at least six states was also linked to deli meats.

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