One of at least two people who have died from listeria food poisoning from meat sliced at deli counters was a New Jersey resident, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Samples were collected from May 29 to July 5 and so far, all of the people known to be part of the outbreak have been hospitalized.
Many of the people in the outbreak reported eating meats that were sliced at grocery store deli counters. So far, there's no information showing that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats, the CDC said. People most commonly reported eating deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst and ham, officials said. The CDC says it doesn't have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of the outbreak.
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant people, who can have miscarriages.
This outbreak includes people aged 32 to 94, with a median age of 75. One pregnant person got sick, but retained the pregnancy, officials said.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.