The CDC is urging people to avoid queso fresco in 4 states after 7 people were hospitalized from eating soft cheese

• The CDC warns "Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses" like queso fresco could carry listeria.
• Listeria is a bacteria that can cause severe illness, with symptoms like vomiting, miscarriage, and stillbirth.
• The CDC is warning people to avoid these cheeses in Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Virginia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising people to avoid "Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses" like queso fresco after seven people fell ill in four states.

Commonly found in dishes like tacos and papa la huancaína, fresh cheeses like queso fresco, queso blanco, and queso panela may be contaminated with a bacteria called listeria. People in Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Virginia have fallen ill with the infections from the cheese, according to a CDC report issued Friday.

Listeria infections can cause severe illness that results in fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and even stillbirths for pregnant people. People aged 65 or older are at an even greater risk of developing severe listeria infections.

People who have typical food poisoning symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting should recover quickly and without medical intervention.

In order to avoid infections, the CDC recommends only buying Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses that have been made with pasteurized milk and have a label proving it.