One person in England has died and 275 people across the UK have now tested positive in an E. coli outbreak traced to supermarket sandwiches. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the death on Thursday afternoon. At least 86 patients had been admitted to hospital as of June 20.
Every confirmed case involves Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145, shortened to Stec. All of the people affected first fell ill before May 31.
How the recalls unfolded
Early in June, UKHSA said the cases were part of a single outbreak. Because the cases were spread so widely across the country, it suspected one nationally distributed food, or several.
On June 14, recall notices began. Greencore Group went first, then Samworth Brothers Manton Wood. The food maker THIS! followed by pulling its vegan chicken and bacon wrap.
The stores involved cover most of the high street. Greencore’s products were sold at Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op and the pharmacy chain Boots. The Samworth Brothers Manton Wood sandwiches and wraps went to Tesco and One Stop. The THIS! wrap was stocked only at WH Smith. Shoppers were told not to eat any of the listed items and to take them back for a full refund.
The Food Standards Agency said the lettuce in those products was thought to be the likely source.
The count so far
UKHSA data showed another 45 cases as of June 18, bringing the total since the outbreak began to 256. A further 19 were added as of June 25, taking it to 275. The agency said the rate of new cases has slowed, but it expects the figure to climb as NHS laboratories send specimens for genomic sequencing, which can tie more cases to the outbreak strain.
Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said investigators had narrowed “a wide range of foods consumed to a small number of salad leaves” used in the sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls that manufacturers withdrew. He called it “a complex investigation.” The agency is confident about the link to those leaves, he said, but is still working with growers, suppliers and manufacturers to find the root cause so it cannot happen again.
“We will remain vigilant until the root cause of the outbreak is confirmed and we are keeping an open mind about possible causes of the outbreak,” Whitby said.
Symptoms and advice
Stec infections normally number about 1,500 in a full year, according to UKHSA. Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever, and about half of cases develop bloody diarrhoea. In uncomplicated cases they can last up to two weeks. Young children, elderly people and anyone with an underlying immune condition can become far sicker.
The bacteria usually pass on through contaminated food, though close contact with an infected person, or with an infected animal or its surroundings, can also spread them. UKHSA recommends washing bagged salad, fruit and vegetables and cooking food thoroughly. It also advises washing hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food, since alcohol gel does not kill every bug that causes diarrhoeal illness.
People should call NHS 111 or their GP surgery if they are worried about a baby under 12 months, or if a child stops feeding or shows signs of dehydration. Medical help is also needed for bloody diarrhoea, for vomiting that will not stop, for dehydration that persists after oral rehydration sachets, or for diarrhoea lasting more than seven days.
