Comment A listeria outbreak linked to meat and cheese has killed one person, sickened 16 others and led to a pregnancy loss, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. The illnesses covered six states. Investigators are trying to identify specific products or delis that may have been contaminated, according to the CDC. Samples from patients were collected from April 17, 2021 to September 29, 2022. Their ages ranged from 38 to 92 years. “The actual number of patients in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to states with known disease,” according to the CDC website. The CDC said New York is home to seven of the sick. Three live in Maryland. Massachusetts and Illinois each have two people who were sick. New Jersey and California each have one person who became ill. Of the 14 people with available information, 13 have been hospitalized, according to the CDC. The one death was reported in Maryland. Clorox is recalling millions of bottles of Pine-Sol that may contain bacteria Eleven of the 12 people surveyed reported eating deli meat or cheese. The CDC estimates that about 1,600 people get sick from listeria each year, and about 260 people die. Listeria ranks third on the list of foodborne illnesses that cause death in the United States. Those most susceptible to listeria are pregnant women (and their newborns), adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Listeria can infect other people, but they rarely get seriously ill. The median age of those who became seriously ill in this outbreak is 74, according to the CDC. The agency said symptoms of a severe case usually begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food – but symptoms can appear anywhere between the same day or 10 weeks after ingesting the bacteria. Pregnant women usually only experience a fever and other flu-like symptoms, according to the CDC. Others report these symptoms along with headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.