A listeria outbreak has caused 16 people to be food poisoned, killing a baby, said US health officials. Thirteen people have been hospitalized. 

The outbreak has affected people in New York, Maryland (where a newborn lost its life), New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, and California. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the reports of illnesses started in April 2021 and the most recent one was reported on September 29 of this year. 

People who became sick said that they had ingested meat or cheese from deli counters that investigators identified to have traces of listeria. The cause is identified as opened packages of deli meat or ready-to-eat foods. Two NetCost Market outlets in New York were reported to be contaminated but other stores are still to be checked since not everyone got their meat from those two stores.

The NetCost Market stores in Brooklyn, New York have a large Russian customer population, and 11 of the people who became ill were of Russian and/or Eastern European background.

The Brooklyn-based NetCost supermarket temporarily closed the deli counter at one of its stores last year after New York health officials notified the company that three customers infected with listeria purchased ready-to-eat food from there. The market did a cleaning and an inspection found no listeria, but in September, the outbreak strain was again found at that market.

In an investigation notice issued by the CDC, they informed the public to be careful of cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs, pates, and cheeses since these products are the source of the outbreak. The bacteria may also spread through contact with equipment, surfaces, and hands.

Officials said that pregnant women, people with weak immune systems, and the elderly are at a higher risk for illness. They also said that aside from the states listed above, the outbreak has potentially reached other areas. An investigation is being conducted to confirm this.

If you have purchased meat or cheese, regardless of location, the CDC recommends a thorough cleaning of your refrigerators. They also added that you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if severe symptoms are felt after eating meat or cheese. 

Symptoms may occur within a month of infection but may take longer to manifest. One should watch out for diarrhea, other gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, stiff neck, fever, and muscle pain, among others.