LOS ANGELES, CA – A tragic incident in California has shed light on a listeria outbreak that has resulted in the death of an infant and has prompted a recall of ready-to-eat meat products, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC revealed that the infant’s pregnant mother also fell ill from listeria, and tragically, the child’s twin also passed away, although testing did not detect listeria in that child. The outbreak, which spanned from October 2021 to July 2024, infected a total of eleven individuals across four states. The exact timing of the infant’s death was not disclosed by the CDC.

Following the outbreak, a recall was initiated this month for ready-to-eat meat items produced by Yu Shang Food Inc. The affected individuals were predominantly concentrated in California, with seven cases reported, while two cases emerged in Illinois, and one each in New York and New Jersey.

The CDC cautioned that the actual number of cases may be significantly higher, extending beyond the states initially identified in the outbreak. Many individuals may recover from listeria infection without seeking medical attention or testing, and it typically takes three to four weeks to confirm if a person’s illness is linked to an outbreak.

Listeria, a type of bacteria that can contaminate food, causes listeriosis, a severe infection that primarily impacts older adults, individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, and in some cases, gastrointestinal issues.

The CDC highlighted that listeria infection ranks as the third leading cause of foodborne illness-related deaths in the United States, with an estimated 1,600 cases occurring annually, resulting in 200 fatalities. The agency emphasized the importance of food safety measures to prevent such outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations from listeria contamination.