Toss Your Deli Meats and Cheese! There’s a Listeria Outbreak in NJ
If you've recently gotten deli meat and/or cheese in New Jersey, it'd be a pretty wise decision to toss it.
According to NJ.com, there's been a listeria outbreak that's spread to New Jersey and several other states, and it's even caused one death in Maryland. As of Nov 10, other states affected are New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois, and California.
The article states that the CDC didn't release much information regarding which brands were linked to the bacteria or where the meats and cheese where sold. It's difficult to trace these sort of outbreaks and identify a single food source because listeria spreads so easily in food.
What is Listeria?
This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by the germ Listeria monocytogenes. People usually become ill with listeriosis after eating contaminated food. The disease primarily affects pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. It’s rare for people in other groups to get sick with Listeria infection.
The CDC also states that symptoms usually begin around 2 weeks after consuming food contaminated with listeria
- Flu-like symptons
- Fever
- Headaches
- Stiff Neck
- Loss of balance
- Confusion
- Seizures
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms after having eaten deli meat and cheese, see a doctor ASAP!
The CDC is recommending that you throw away your deli meats and cheese AND also throughly wipe down the areas they've touched in your refrigerator with soap and water.