The deadly Clover Hill soft cheese Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has ended with 15 sick and 14 hospitalized in four states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is an increase of three more patients since the last update was issued on June 24, 2026. There were several recalls issued in response to this outbreak.
The case count by state is: Illinois (1), Maryland (4), New York (6), and Virginia (4). Sick person’s samples were collated on dates that range from March 6, 2023 to June 2, 2026. Illness onset dates ranged from March 6, 2023 to July 8, 2026. The patient age range is from 16 to 81 years. Of 14 people who gave information to public health officials, all 14 have been hospitalized. One person died; they lived in Maryland.
Thirteen people were interviewed about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of that number, 11, or 85%, reported eating cheese. Five, or 45%, said they ate requesón cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy.
Whole genome sequencing showed that the patient isolates in the outbreak are closely related genetically, which suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating the same food. FDA and start partners collected and analyzed product and environmental samples from the company plant. Listeria was detected in six product samples of the requesón cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy, and in one environmental sample.
this outbreak is over, and the recalled foods are no longer available for purchase. The recalls were for Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta cheese, and Nelson and Isa Lacteos soft requesón cheese. Then Clover Hill recalled all soft ricotta/requesón cheese six days later. Finally, La Colonia and Selecto Latinos soft cheeses, including cottage cheese, were recalled on June 29, 2026 because they were processed at the same plant as the other cheeses.
If you have eaten any of the recalled cheeses, monitor yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. If you do get sick, see your doctor.
