Recall Issued Following Fatal Listeria Outbreak in California

The CDC has reported a listeria outbreak that resulted in the death of an infant in California, prompting a recall of over 72,000 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products. The outbreak has affected multiple states, raising concerns over its scope.

A recent outbreak of listeria in the U.S. has tragically resulted in the death of an infant in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed. In conjunction with this case, the child's pregnant mother also experienced illness due to listeria, while the infant's twin sibling unfortunately passed away as well, although no listeria was found in testing.

The CDC disclosed that between October 2021 and July 2024, eleven individuals across four states have been reported infected. However, the specific date of the infant's death remains unclear. As a result of the outbreak, the CDC has prompted the recall of over 72,000 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products produced by Yu Shang Food Inc., based in South Carolina.

The recall follows testing that confirmed listeria contamination on October 21, leading the company to act swiftly. The reported cases include seven individuals from California, two from Illinois, and one each from New York and New Jersey. The CDC has warned that the actual number of infected individuals could be significantly higher, as many recover without medical attention and may not undergo testing. Furthermore, reports of recent illnesses may still be pending, as it typically takes three to four weeks to confirm connections to outbreaks.

Listeria bacteria can contaminate food and cause listeriosis, a serious illness primarily threatening pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headaches, confusion, and gastrointestinal distress, among others. Alarmingly, listeria infection is the third leading cause of death linked to foodborne illnesses in the United States, with the CDC estimating around 1,600 infections and 200 fatalities annually due to listeria.