Federal health officials on Wednesday confirmed the death of an eighth person in a listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head sausage products that were recalled last month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the outbreak, which has affected several states, continues to spread.

The victims include two people from South Carolina and one each from Florida, New Mexico and Tennessee. Deaths were previously reported in Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia. According to the agency, a total of 57 people were hospitalized for listeria infections related to this outbreak, which began in late May and lasted into August.

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The CDC’s investigation has identified Boar’s Head brand deli meats as the likely source of the outbreak. The affected products were found to contain Listeria, a bacteria that can cause a serious illness called listeriosis, especially in older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

Newsweek reached out to the CDC via email on Wednesday for comment.

According to the CDC, Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States and is responsible for about 1,600 cases of food poisoning in the United States each year, resulting in about 260 deaths. Symptoms of Listeria infection may appear soon after exposure or may not appear for up to 10 weeks, making it difficult to determine the source of contamination.

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Signs and symptoms vary depending on the person and the location of the infection. In most cases, the bacteria stay in the intestines and cause the typical symptoms of food poisoning, such as diarrhea and vomiting. Usually, these symptoms begin within 24 hours of eating contaminated food and last for one to three days.

The affected products were traced to Boar’s Head after a sample of liver sausage collected by Maryland health authorities tested positive for listeria. Further testing showed that the pathogen matched the strain responsible for the illnesses.

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Boar’s Head initially recalled liverwurst and other deli items with a best-before date of late July through August. The recall was later expanded to include all products from its Jarratt, Virginia, plant on July 29. Over 7 million pounds of deli meats were affected, including items sliced ​​at the deli counter as well as some prepackaged sausages, frankfurters and bacon.

Boar’s Head has assured the public that all affected products have been removed from shelves and are no longer available, the website states. Consumers are advised to check their refrigerators for the recalled products, which can be identified by the establishment number EST. 12612 or P-12612 within the USDA inspection mark. If these products are found, they should be discarded and all surfaces they have touched should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Last month, health officials issued a warning to the public about the deadly outbreak, as two people had already died and 28 had been hospitalized in 12 different states.