After waiting three weeks and “under protest,” Raw Farm has recalled its raw-milk cheddar cheese products linked to a multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli that has sickened nine people, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.

Late last week, the California company relented after initially refusing to pull the cheese from the market because it contested the FDA’s epidemiologic links between the infections and their products. “We 100% disagree with the FDA’s false ‘possible link’, and extreme allegations,” Raw Milk said in a statement on its website.

Although no pathogens have been found in samples collected by the FDA, all eight people interviewed by CDC, FDA, and state and local health officials reported consuming raw cheese or milk, including seven who identified Raw Farm as the brand. In addition, whole-genome sequencing revealed that bacteria from infected people were closely related, indicating that they became ill from the same food.

The products were sold at retailers nationwide, namely Sprouts Farmers Market and H-E-B, but other outlets may also have sold them, the FDA noted. “FDA initiated an onsite inspection and sample collection at Raw Farm, LLC in coordination with state partners,” the agency said. “Sample analysis is ongoing but, at this time, FDA is not aware of any positive samples.”

Over half of those infected were young kids

Cases of Shiga toxin–producing E coli tied to the unpasteurized block and shredded cheeseoccurred in California, Florida, and Texas from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026, prompting an investigation in mid-March. Over half of the cases were in children younger than five years. Three people were hospitalized, and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure. The investigation is ongoing.

Choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products is the best way to safely enjoy the nutritional benefits of milk.

“Choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products is the best way to safely enjoy the nutritional benefits of milk,” the CDC said in its latest investigation update. “This is especially important for children under 5 because they are more likely to get sick from raw dairy.”

• Thus far, evidence suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 strain isn’t cause for alarm, the Global Virus Network reassured in a news release late last week. BA.3.2 initially raised concerns because it has immune-escape characteristics likely driven by mutations in its spike protein. “Early findings show immune escape consistent with Omicron evolution, with no evidence of increased severity or widespread transmission,” the network said. The strain is informally known as the “cicada” variant for its apparent re-emergence after a time of limited circulation.
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is continuing to spread later into spring than usual, prompting 48 states to extend the window for vaccination of infants and toddlers through the end of April rather than March, per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) and the Association of Immunization Managers. As of March 28, 6.9% of tests for respiratory illness were positive for RSV, up from 3.8% during the same period last year. One dose of the monoclonal antibody preventive nirsevimab is recommended for infants born during the RSV season to mothers who didn’t receive the maternal RSV vaccine. The remainder of babies born to unvaccinated mothers should receive a dose before the next season starts.
• So far this year, Los Angeles County, California, has documented 17 cases of flea-borne typhus (FBT), which infected a record number of residents in 2025, according to the county public health department. FBT is a febrile illness caused by Rickettsia typhi bacteria, which spread when contaminated flea feces enters cuts or scrapes on the skin or is rubbed into the eyes. The disease, which typically spreads through fleas on animals such as rats, doesn’t transmit from person to person. “FBT has increased in LA County since 2010,” the department said on its website. “In 2025, an all-time high of 220 cases were documented. This marks a continued rise from 187 cases in 2024 and reflects a sustained upward trend in recent years.”