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Deadly Listeria Outbreak Linked to Soft Cheese
9 Jun
Summary
- Multistate listeria outbreak has killed one person and sickened eight.
- Soft cheese from Clover Hill Dairy traced as source of outbreak.
- Recall issued for soft cheese; symptoms can be severe, especially for high-risk groups.
Federal health agencies are alerting consumers to a multistate listeria outbreak that has tragically claimed one life and sickened multiple individuals across three states. As of June 4, 2026, eight people have fallen ill, with seven requiring hospitalization. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified soft cheese from Maryland-based Clover Hill Dairy as the source.
Whole genome sequencing linked the illnesses, which began as early as March 2023, to the dairy's products. Listeria was discovered in an unopened bucket of requeson cheese at the facility. Clover Hill Dairy has since initiated a voluntary recall, and its operating license has been suspended by Maryland pending further investigation.
The recalled soft cheese may have been repackaged and distributed beyond currently identified locations. Consumers are urged not to eat recalled cheese and to either discard it or return it to the point of purchase. Symptoms of listeria poisoning, which can appear within two weeks of consumption, include fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal distress, posing significant risks to vulnerable populations.
