1 Dead, 8 Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Linked To MD Cheese Recall

Updated at 6:58 p.m.

A multiagency investigation into a Maryland dairy farm is underway after it was linked to a ricotta cheese listeria outbreak that killed one person and hospitalized eight others across several states.

An update issued by the Food and Drugs Administration on Tuesday stated that the Listeria monocytogenes strain detected at the Clover Hill Dairy in Mechanicsville was tied to infections dating back to March 6, 2023.

The one death noted by authorities that was tied to cheese products manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy happened in 2023, the Maryland Department of Health confirmed to Patch. The death was recorded in Maryland.

Officials said that of the nine people impacted by the outbreak, two individuals who were interviewed said they had specifically eaten ricotta cheese from Clover Hill Dairy.

All of the listeria-tied samples highlighted by the FDA were collected from March 2023 to May 2026.

The Clover Hill Dairy announced a voluntary recall of its requesón/soft ricotta products last week due to potential listeria contamination.

An ongoing investigation is looking to determine the source of the outbreak and whether other cheese products were impacted.

Related: MD Dairy Recalls Cheese Products Over Listeria Risk

Consumers are being urged to check manufacturer information imprinted on any ricotta cheese product they recently purchased, as the items may have been relabeled with a different brand.

The ricotta cheese products produced by the Amish-owned and operated dairy were sold at their retail market in Maryland, as well as at farmers' markets and third-party vendors in New York and Virginia.

Residents can identify Clover Hill Dairy products by its manufacturer permit number: 24-128.

Officials said the products were individually packaged in 10, 12 and 14-ounce clamshell containers, as well as in bulk 2 and 5-gallon buckets.

The Maryland dairy has also had its operating license suspended in the interim.

Officials say that when the listeria bacteria are consumed, individuals can develop the life-threatening listeriosis disease. Listeria can cause symptoms ranging from fevers to muscle aches, confusion, convulsions and pregnancy loss.

The bacteria, which grow in unsanitary environments, can lead to listeriosis months after a contaminated food is eaten.