Three people have died and more than a dozen others were hospitalized following an outbreak of listeria that has been linked to premade chicken fettuccine alfredo meals sold nationwide at Kroger and Walmart, federal health officials said Wednesday.

The chicken dishes could be linked to a possible outbreak strain of listeria associated with three deaths and one fetal loss.

The company that made the meals issued a nationwide recall as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they were linked to 17 listeria cases across 13 states.