ONE DEAD AS SALMONELLA OUTBREAK SPREADS ACROSS UK

One person has died and hundreds have fallen ill in a salmonella outbreak across the United Kingdom, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed. Between 11 August last year and 1 August this year, 207 cases were identified across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UKHSA stated the outbreak "may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK". Two individuals suffered bloodstream infections, and 38 per cent of those affected required hospital admission.

England accounted for 199 of the 207 cases, with London recording the highest regional total at 47 confirmed cases and Yorkshire and the Humber at 38. People affected range in age from babies to individuals aged 90. Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, said the agency was working with the Food Standards Agency and other public health agencies to investigate the outbreak. Salmonella typically causes self-limiting gastroenteritis, with symptoms including diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and vomiting, though the UKHSA noted that vulnerable groups with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.

The UKHSA confirmed that salmonellosis is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food and can be spread rarely from person to person. The investigation remains ongoing as health officials work to establish the precise source of contamination and prevent further cases.