Cases of infection have been found in six states including New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The CDC has announced 16 total infections, with 13 hospitalized and one death reported.
According to interviews conducted on victims of the outbreak, over half of those infected were men and most have identified as being of Eastern European descent. Experts have also warned that those who are pregnant, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for listeria infections.
Officials have yet to pinpoint the origin of contamination and believe that the number of infected people may be much higher than what is being reported.
The CDC suggests heating up all deli meats and cheeses before consuming them to avoid getting sick.