CDC warns of listeria outbreak linked to deli meats in multiple states

A deadly listeria outbreak has the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning some Americans to skip cold cuts on their sandwiches for now.
The CDC and the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service are investigating an outbreak of listeria they believe to be linked to lunch meat.
According to the alert, 10 people have been hospitalized after falling ill with the same strain of listeria in Florida, Massachusetts, and New York. One person has died.
Those who fell ill said that they had eaten Italian-style meats that were prepackaged or sliced at a deli counter.
Listeria is a food-borne illness caused by a bacteria found in soil and water. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Doctors say while many are unlikely to get seriously ill from listeria, people 65 and over, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women are at a higher risk of becoming sick.
"People who are elderly or have weakened immune systems, they are just not able to fight off the bacteria like normal, healthy adults can, so that's why they are at risk for having a serious infection," says Dr. Richard Tang, with LIJ's Emergency Department. "As for people who are pregnant, their pregnancies are actually at risk because of their listeria infection can cause birth defects and miscarriages."
The CDC recommends avoiding eating cold cuts, unless they are cooked before serving. It has not identified a specific type of deli meat or a common supplier.