At least one person sick in Florida...all connected to a listeria outbreak.
The CDC says 26 people from eleven states have been infected- 1 in Florida- and 2 deaths confirmed in Texas and California after eating queso fresco, cotija cheese and other products made by Rizo-Lopez Foods.
The company is recalling all cheeses and other dairy products made in their facility.
·According to the CDC:
26 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 7 states.
o 23 people have been hospitalized.
o 2 deaths have been reported, one from California and one from Texas.
o Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 15, 2014, to December 10, 2023.
· This outbreak was investigated twice before, in 2017 and 2021. There was not enough data to identify a source until this most recent investigation.
· Interviews with sick people and recent Listeria findings in cheese and a production facility show that queso fresco and cotija made by Rizo-López Foods are making people in this outbreak sick.
· On February 5, 2024, Rizo-López Foods recalled all cheeses and other dairy products made in their facility.
What You Should Do:
· Do not eat any recalled cheeses or dairy products.
o Throw them away or return them to where you bought them.
· Clean the refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products.
o Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
· Call a healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating recalled products:
o Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
o People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.