Thousands in Vic at risk of deadly bug

Thousands of Victorians may have been exposed to a fatal death.

Hospitals, aged care homes, some councils and several Meals on Wheels services are among the customers of a company shut down amid fears of spreading listeriosis.

The health department closed I Cook Foods of Dandenong South on Friday afternoons served in a private hospital in Melbourne's east has been contaminated with the bug.

The bacteria is believed to have contributed to the death of an 80-year-old woman earlier this month.

Victoria's acting chief of health officer Brett Sutton told reporters on Friday he acted out of an "abundance of caution" to close the kitchen, while the department investigates the woman's death.

"We understand it has consumed a number of high-risk foods, they have been investigated in the community but they have been tracked to potential I cook foods," Dr. Sutton said.

"We think something has gone amiss in the food production … we are at very early stages of investigation."

Thousands of people may have been exposed, Dr. Sutton noted.

Six positive samples for listeriosis have been found in the business's kitchen.

I Cook Foods has been contacted for comment.

The production facility will be reviewed, retested and cleaned before being permitted to reopen.