One person in New Jersey and another in Illinois are dead in the aftermath of a listeria outbreak that health officials are linking to deli meat.
In all, 28 people across 12 different U.S. states are hospitalized, but that number could grow in the coming days.
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Listeria is especially harmful to seniors, and anyone who might be pregnant or have a weakened immune system. The CDC says the bacteria can grow on food kept in the refrigerator, and recommends anyone pregnant, 65 or older, or immunocompromised to avoid cold cuts.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of balance, and seizures are possible in some scenarios.
KYW Medical Editor Brian McDonough said the only way to kill the listeria is to cook the food before consumption.
“Something like deli meat, which you traditionally don’t cook… if it has listeria, it certainly can give you the infection if you consume the food,” he said.
Amid the current outbreak, McDonough recommends staying away from deli meats all together for the time being.
“They do know and have seen that it can be spread through the equipment and the counters and from person to person in those settings,” he said.
Experts like McDonough also recommend staying away from deli cheeses to avoid the risk of cross contamination because of their close proximity to the meats.
If you have deli meats in your fridge right now, McDonough recommends throwing them out and cleaning your fridge.
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