More than 50 illnesses and nine deaths have been reported due Listeria outbreak in US. According to latest data released by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, the outbreak has been reported in 18 states with a total of 57 people have been hospitalised. This is the largest listeriosis outbreak since the 2011 linked to cantaloupe.

Symptoms of listeria include fever, chills, and headache and can take up to ten weeks to manifest in some individuals. Listeria can be very serious for people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and people over 65. In 2011, more than 30 people died from affected cantaloupe.

Listeria is a resilient bacterium that can survive on surfaces, such as meat slicers, and in foods, even at refrigerated temperatures. Reheating foods to a sufficiently high temperature before consumption can eliminate the bacteria.