WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal health officials are investigating a multistate Listeria outbreak linked to recalled requesón and soft ricotta cheese products that has sickened eight people, hospitalized seven, and resulted in one death.
The outbreak has been identified in Maryland, New York, and Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One Maryland resident has died.
Health officials linked the illnesses to certain requesón and soft ricotta cheese products manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy. The products were sold through grocery stores and other retail outlets and have been recalled.
The Maryland Department of Health has suspended Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license and is conducting a follow-up evaluation of the facility in coordination with state and federal regulators.
The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are continuing the investigation to determine whether additional products may be associated with the outbreak.
Federal health officials are advising consumers not to eat the recalled cheese products and urging retailers and food-service businesses to stop selling or serving them.
The agency also recommends thoroughly cleaning refrigerators, containers, and surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled products because Listeria bacteria can survive in refrigerated environments and spread to other foods.
Listeria infections pose the greatest risk to pregnant women, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. In severe cases, the infection can spread beyond the digestive system and lead to invasive listeriosis, a condition that frequently requires hospitalization.
According to the CDC, symptoms can develop as soon as the same day contaminated food is consumed or as late as 10 weeks afterward. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Among pregnant women, infection may cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or life-threatening illness in newborns.
The CDC advises anyone who develops severe symptoms after consuming recalled cheese products to seek medical attention immediately.
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