Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
Health officials say six deaths and 27 illnesses across 18 states are now linked to a listeria outbreak tied to prepared pasta meals sold at major grocery chains including Kroger and Trader Joe's.
The latest data includes two additional deaths and seven additional illnesses tied to the outbreak, according to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published on Thursday, Oct. 30. Twenty-five hospitalizations have also been reported.
The illnesses have been reported in the following states, according to the CDC:
The outbreak stemmed from contaminated pre-cooked pasta meals sold by a supplier named Nate's Fine Foods, which has issued recalls for the affected products. In a September statement, the company said it's working with the FDA and CDC to investigate the source of the outbreak.
According to the FDA, the recalled products include:
The CDC has advised consumers to check their refrigerators and throw away the recalled food items.
Listeria can be particularly harmful for pregnant women, people who are 65 or older, and those with weak immune systems, according to the government agency. Symptoms include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever, muscle aches and tiredness.